Meaning & use
criminal intent
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablelegal
The deliberate purpose or state of mind to commit a crime, which is often needed to prove guilt.
Grammar: Not used with a: he showed criminal intent.
Patterns
- prove criminal intent
- with criminal intent
The prosecutor had to prove criminal intent, not just that he was at the scene.
There was no evidence of criminal intent in her mistake.
Entering a building with criminal intent can lead to a burglary charge.
Common combinations
- prove criminal intent
- The jury must be convinced the state can prove criminal intent.
- show criminal intent
- Nothing in the emails shows criminal intent.
- lack criminal intent
- The defendant lacked criminal intent.
- with criminal intent
- He entered the house with criminal intent.
- evidence of criminal intent
- Police found evidence of criminal intent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mens rea
- It is the Latin legal term for the guilty mind, used by lawyers and sounding more technical.
- malice
- It means a wish to cause harm and may not involve a crime.
- premeditation
- It means planning ahead, which is narrower than a general intent to commit a crime.
Opposites
Word family
- criminal adjective
- relating to crime
- criminal noun
- a person who commits crimes
- intent noun
- what someone means to do
- intentional adjective
- done on purpose
Commonly confused: criminal intent or criminal negligence?
criminal intent vs criminal negligence
Criminal negligence means serious carelessness without the intent to cause harm, while criminal intent involves purpose.
Practice
Why is criminal intent important in many trials?
Choose one answer.
Criminal intent concerns the accused's state of mind. Harm to the victim is a different element, so the second option does not define it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “criminal intent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.