to decriminalize
- verb
- /diːˈkrɪmɪnəˌlaɪz/
- Consideration should also be given to decriminalizing price maintenance.
- decriminalize homosexuality
- decriminalize marijuana
She wanted to decriminalize the border, but now says she doesn't.
- She wanted to decriminalize the border, but now says she doesn't.
- Because if you decriminalize prostitution, it will help restrain HIV.
- Allen, did you or did you not decriminalize public urination in Washington DC?
- Nowadays, it's either legal or tolerated or decriminalized in many places, not all.
- Yeah, of course, America have decriminalised cannabis in certain states at the moment because the data is very raw and pretty new.
- Basically they have decided that that that they they've decriminalized certain acts.
- The problem is started to actually, for instance, during my government, we decriminalize the personal consumption of drugs.
- This is I'm talking at least days when when I only took them in Seattle after after everything was decriminalized.
Examples
-
I think that a lot of the northeastern states have now decriminalized marijuana.
Blog text (12) -
In July of that year, the government issued the Improved Economic Management Measures, which decriminalized many market activities.
Academic text (2008) -
Imagine you are a state police officer in a state that has decriminalized marijuana possession.
Academic text (2018) -
Some courts have applied this approach when states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Academic text (2018) -
When marijuana is decriminalized, that stigma will also fall away.
Academic text (2017) -
I'm confident that if this bill becomes law, we will begin to decriminalize mental illness, we can apply a population health model to these individuals with these illnesses, rather than a criminal justice model.
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Regardless of public opinion, however, marijuana is a controlled substance, and recreational use, although decriminalized in some states, is still illegal.
Academic text (2004) -
Like Massachusetts, Rhode Island had recently decriminalized the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.
Academic text (2018) -
Lawrence v. Texas decriminalized sodomy, thereby protecting same-sex sex acts in the private sphere.
Academic text (2011) -
In 2018, several countries began to decriminalize the use of small amounts of cannabis for personal use.
Synonyms
Make something allowed by law
To make something legal or officially accepted
To make laws or rules less strict to allow more freedom
To make something legal or accepted by law
Make something legal by official approval
Antonyms
How Legal
- US
Surface Forms
Morphology
decriminalize = criminalize (transparent) = de + criminal + ize
This is a standard reversative use of 'de-' on 'criminalize', meaning to remove criminal status or criminal penalties.
Etymology
Decriminalize comes from the parts de- and criminal; de- means 'remove', as in defrost, and criminal comes from 'crime'. So to decriminalize something is to take away its criminal label and stop treating it as 'illegal'.