as in outlawed
to make or declare contrary to the law
wanted to criminalize an activity that the mountaineers had been engaging in for generations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prohibited
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of criminalized
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Because of the revolts, Compton says, drumming and African spiritual practices were eventually criminalized in the colonies.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2025
Black people have for centuries called for more factual reporting that reflects their actual lives, because mainstream news has long criminalized and dehumanized their communities.
—Anita Varma, The Conversation, 3 Jan. 2025
The delayed care occurred in the aftermath of a new state law that criminalized performing the procedure to remove fetal tissue from the uterus with few exceptions, legislation that reproductive-rights advocates said could scare away doctors from performing the surgery for fear of prosecution.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024
The pope, however, has not called for the practice to be criminalized and a 2023 Vatican doctrinal ruling pointed out that children born through surrogacy can be baptized.
—Antonia Mortensen, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024
The bill extends an original ban put in place in 2004 which criminalized commercial surrogacy within Italy.
—Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 17 Oct. 2024
The Israeli government has jailed Palestinian poets for posting poems to Facebook, and criminalized prominent human rights organizations.
—Stefanie Fox, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Suffering from a grave infection, the 28-year-old medical assistant and single mother needed a procedure that had been criminalized in Georgia, with few exceptions.
—Alexandra Zayas, ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
A number of countries in Europe have criminalized the burning of the national flag including France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Because of the revolts, Compton says, drumming and African spiritual practices were eventually criminalized in the colonies.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2025
Black people have for centuries called for more factual reporting that reflects their actual lives, because mainstream news has long criminalized and dehumanized their communities.
—Anita Varma, The Conversation, 3 Jan. 2025
The delayed care occurred in the aftermath of a new state law that criminalized performing the procedure to remove fetal tissue from the uterus with few exceptions, legislation that reproductive-rights advocates said could scare away doctors from performing the surgery for fear of prosecution.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024
The pope, however, has not called for the practice to be criminalized and a 2023 Vatican doctrinal ruling pointed out that children born through surrogacy can be baptized.
—Antonia Mortensen, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024
The bill extends an original ban put in place in 2004 which criminalized commercial surrogacy within Italy.
—Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 17 Oct. 2024
The Israeli government has jailed Palestinian poets for posting poems to Facebook, and criminalized prominent human rights organizations.
—Stefanie Fox, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
Suffering from a grave infection, the 28-year-old medical assistant and single mother needed a procedure that had been criminalized in Georgia, with few exceptions.
—Alexandra Zayas, ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminalized
Verb
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That’s largely because, in recent centuries, waves of colonizers globally discouraged or even outlawed the teaching and learning of Indigenous languages — eradication that researchers and technologists like Boyer, as well as organizations like UNESCO, are now working to undo.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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In other words, the maps may have been outlawed — but their consequences are still being lived.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There is, however, room for questions about where the line between prohibited and acceptable political involvement will fall in practice.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But others reportedly continued to ignore the order, so when the deadline passed, the government banned 26 social-media platforms, including Meta’s Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
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He was banned on three occasions for biting opponents during matches.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Describing the damping precisely meant accidentally allowing forbidden precision in position or momentum.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Aug. 2025
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Anthropic has introduced weekly rate limits for its Claude chatbot focused on curbing excessive—and forbidden—usage of Claude Code.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Commissioners also said Erik Menendez's use of contraband cellphones was a factor in the denial.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
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The moderate risk increase came after each report found that Erik and Lyle, in recent months, had been cited for breaking prison rules for contraband violations, specifically the possession of cell phones.—
Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In 2023, a barred owl known as Owen was rescued near Boston’s Faneuil Hall after ingesting rat poison.—
Nara Schoenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
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There’s broad agreement the native owls are at risk, but the animal rights organizations behind the opposition letter this week say killing barred owls is not the answer.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Criminalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminalized. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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