Meaning & use
misdemeanor
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablelegal
A crime that is less serious than a felony, usually punished by a fine or a short jail term.
Grammar: Countable; often used with commit or charge.
Patterns
- commit a misdemeanor
- be charged with a misdemeanor
- a misdemeanor charge
He was charged with a misdemeanor for shoplifting.
In many places, a first misdemeanor results in a fine rather than jail time.
She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and paid the fine.
nouncountableformalhumorous
A minor act of bad behavior; a misdeed.
Grammar: Countable; often used humorously or formally.
Patterns
- a minor misdemeanor
Forgetting her birthday was a misdemeanor he would never live down.
The children were punished for their misdemeanors.
Word forms
| plural | misdemeanors |
|---|
Common combinations
- commit a misdemeanor
- He committed a misdemeanor and was fined.
- misdemeanor charge
- The misdemeanor charge was later dropped.
- misdemeanor offense
- A misdemeanor offense may stay on your record.
- petty misdemeanor
- A petty misdemeanor is the least serious type.
Synonyms and how they differ
- offense
- General word for a crime or rule-breaking; can be minor or serious.
- infraction
- Often used for minor rule violations, not necessarily crimes.
- violation
- Can be non-criminal, like a traffic violation.
Opposites
Word family
- misdemeanant noun
- A person convicted of a misdemeanor.
Commonly confused: misdemeanor or felony? misdemeanor or misdemeanor?
misdemeanor vs felony
A felony is a more serious crime, often punishable by more than a year in prison.
misdemeanor vs misdemeanor
In British English, the spelling is misdemeanour.
Practice
Which of these is typically a misdemeanor?
Choose one answer.
Shoplifting a small item is usually a less serious crime, often a misdemeanor. Murder, armed robbery, and kidnapping are felonies.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “misdemeanor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.