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victimless

victimless

11 5.3
Not causing harm to anyone
  • adjective
  • /ˈvɪktɪmləs/
translation icon : sin víctimas
  • If gambling is truly victimless, or if its harms are voluntarily accepted, why should the state prohibit it?
  • victimless crime

But but there were, you know, this, this notion of like victimless crime was real on the Silk Road.

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Examples

  • We could also ponder the concept of "victimless crimes" from the area of criminal law.

    Blog text (31)
  • And many still see looting as a victimless crime.

    Academic text (2009)
  • As long as nobody gets shot, it's really a victimless crime.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Now, so far we have what appears to me to be a series of victimless crimes.

  • We are all familiar with the concept of the "victimless" crime.

    Academic text (1992)
  • It was a victimless crime.

  • But there are also many "victimless" crimes, such as drug possession, gambling, and prostitution.

    Academic text (2003)
  • In Debeir's case, however, the judge cited the "victimless" nature of the crime as a rationale for departing from the guidelines.

    Academic text (1999)
  • And conservatives fear that an overreaching state, fueled by exaggerated media reports, will prosecute people for victimless crimes.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Many people consider drug use to be a victimless act because no one is directly harmed.

Synonyms

harmless
vsvictimless
231 1.0

Not able to hurt people or things

is used when no person actually suffers harm
innocent
vsvictimless
134 1.0

Not meant to cause harm or upset

focuses on absence of harm to a person rather than on intent
noninjurious
vsvictimless
3.9

Not likely to hurt people, animals, or things

applies only when no person is harmed
nondamaging
vsvictimless
3.5

Something that does not harm people or things

focuses only on no person being harmed
offenseless
vsvictimless
7.9

Not able to hurt or upset someone

means no harm or injury happens to any person
nonabusive
vsvictimless
5.1

Without hurtful words or actions toward other people

covers any case where no person suffers harm or injury

Antonyms

161 2.6

Causing damage to people, animals or things

8 7.0

Can harm people, animals, or plants

Compounds

victimless crime
  • Specialized
6 6.3

An illegal act that does not directly harm other people, for example private drug use

Surface Forms

victimless positive

Morphology

victimless = victim (transparent) = victim + less

The adjective is formed by adding the productive suffix '-less' to 'victim', yielding the straightforward meaning 'without victims'.

Etymology

Victimless is made of victim ('a person who is hurt') and the ending -less ('without'), so it means 'without a victim'. You see -less in words like careless and hopeless, so victimless refers to something that does not harm anyone.