criminalise

criminalise — verb

1. to make a particular activity or practice a criminal offence by introducing a la

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make a particular activity or practice a criminal offence by introducing a law that bans it, so that anyone who does it can face legal punishment

例句

The new law criminalises the sale of single-use plastic items across the country.

criminalise + noun phrase — activity made illegal

In 2023 several countries criminalised workplace discrimination based on appearance.

同義詞
  • outlaw

    stronger, more urgent tone; often used for complete prohibition of an existing practice

  • ban

    more general; can be done by organisations, schools, or other non-government bodies

  • prohibit

    formal but broader in scope; does not necessarily carry criminal penalties

反義詞
  • legalise

    to allow something by law, making it officially permitted

  • decriminalise

    to remove criminal penalties from an activity, though it may remain regulated

文法句型

criminalise + noun phrase

be criminalised (passive)

用法筆記

Frequently used in legal writing and news reporting. The subject is typically a government, parliament, legislature, or specific law. The opposite verb is decriminalise (to remove criminal penalties without necessarily making the activity fully legal). The US spelling is criminalize (with -ize).

常見錯誤

❌The company criminalised stealing from its offices.
✅The company banned stealing from its offices.
💡Only a government or legislative body can criminalise something through a law; companies have internal rules, not criminal law.
❌The law criminalised people who smoked in public.
✅The law criminalised smoking in public places.
💡The object of criminalise must be the activity or practice, not the person who does it.