criminalize

UK: /ˈkrɪmɪnəlaɪz/ US: (krim′ə nl īz′)

Inflections of 'criminalize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

criminalizes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

criminalizing

v pres p (US & UK)

criminalized

v past (US & UK)

criminalized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

crim•i•nal•ize  (krim′ə nl īz′), v.t., -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. Sociology to make punishable as a crime:
   To reduce the graffiti on subway cars, he wants to criminalize the selling of spray paint to minors.
2. Sociology to make a criminal of:
   Drug use has criminalized him.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] crim′i•nal•ise′. 

• criminal + -ize 1955–60

crim′i•nal•i•za′tion, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

criminalize, criminalise / ˈkrɪmɪnəˌlaɪz/ verb (transitive)

1. to make (an action or activity) criminal
2. to treat (a person) as a criminal

ˌcriminaliˈzation, ˌcriminaliˈsation noun