decriminalize

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Back-formation from decriminalization, equivalent to de- +‎ criminalize.

Pronunciation

Verb

decriminalize (third-person singular simple present decriminalizes, present participle decriminalizing, simple past and past participle decriminalized) (American spelling, Oxford British English)

  1. (transitive) To change the laws so something is no longer a crime.
    Synonym: legalize
    Antonym: criminalize
    • 2020 November 4, Thomas Fuller, “Oregon Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Heroin and Cocaine; Four States Legalize Marijuana”, in The New York Times‎:
      The march to decriminalize drugs moved further across the nation on Tuesday despite continued federal prohibition.
    • 2020 December 4, Deirdre Walsh, “House Approves Decriminalizing Marijuana; Bill To Stall In Senate”, in NPR‎:
      The House of Representatives approved decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level on Friday in the first time Congress has acted on the issue.
    • 2021 June 18, Eric Westervelt, “Oregon's Pioneering Drug Decriminalization Experiment Is Now Facing The Hard Test”, in NPR‎:
      Last fall Oregon voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of almost all hard drugs, taking a groundbreaking step away from the arrest, charge and jail model for possession that's been a centerpiece of American drug policy since President Richard Nixon declared his War on Drugs 50 years ago this week.
    • 2022 February 22, Julie Turkewitz, “Colombia Decriminalizes Abortion, Bolstering Trend Across Region”, in The New York Times‎:
      The court’s decision decriminalizes abortions in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, and means that any woman should be able to seek the procedure from a health professional without fear of criminal prosecution.

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