criminality

noun

crim·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ˌkri-mə-ˈna-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being criminal

2

: criminal activity

urban criminality

Synonyms of criminality

• crime

Examples of criminality in a Sentence

a report on the drop in criminality in large urban centers

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 1980s and 1990s, the figure of the addict abruptly shifted from being considered deserving of medical treatment to being seen as an emblem of incurable criminality. —Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

Durov was arrested in France in 2024 and charged with enabling various forms of criminality on his app. —Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2026

Protesters held banners decrying criminality and calling for law and order. —Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026

Far from accidental, these highly intentional strikes are one of the untold stories of Russian criminality. —U.s. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

criminal entry 1 + -ity, perhaps after French criminalité

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for criminality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• hospitality
• illegality

Legal Definition

criminality

noun

crim·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ˌkri-mə-ˈna-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being criminal

can't understand the criminality of his act

2

: crime sense 3

violent criminality