criminality

plural criminalities

1. uncountableThe state of being criminal.

   A more limited universe of studies specifically examine criminality among immigrants in the U.S. illegally but also find that they do not commit crimes at a higher rate.

   2024 April 11, Ted Hesson, Mica Rosenberg, “Explainer: Trump says migrants are fueling violent crime. Here is what the research shows”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 12 Apr 2024

   Synonyms: criminalness, atrociousness, awfulness, badness, corruption, corruptness, dacoity, depravity

2. uncountableCriminal activity.

   rampant criminality

   1 more example

   The memorandum of understanding between the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, the Office of Rail and Road and the police states: "In the absence of a clear indication that serious criminality has caused the accident, RAIB will normally have precedence in respect of the investigation and will assume lead responsibility for the investigation."

   2020 December 2, Philip Haigh, “A winter of discontent caused by threat of union action”, in Rail, page 63

   Synonyms: crime, delinquency

3. countableA criminal act.

   1 more example

   The storm-centre of a combined newspaper attack lasting for months, Daylight's character had been torn to shreds. There was no fact in his history that had not been distorted into a criminality or a vice. This public making of him over into an iniquitous monster had pretty well crushed any lingering hope he had of getting acquainted with Dede Mason.

   1910 October, Jack London, chapter VIII, in Burning Daylight, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, part II, pages 181–182

   Synonyms: crime, criminal offence, crime, criminal offence, delinquency, malefaction, perpetration, unlaw