Meaning & use
criminality
The quality or state of being criminal, or criminal behavior considered as a whole.
See it in a sentence
The report examined rising criminality in neighborhoods affected by long-term unemployment.
Judges must sometimes weigh the criminality of an act against the circumstances behind it.
A note on using this word
Criminality is an abstract noun describing crime as a pattern or quality, unlike "crime," which usually names a specific act.
Words with a similar meaning
crimelawlessness
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
lawfulness
Make it your own
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