{f} make illegal; outlaw, pronounce or declare illegal; declare a criminal; make a person become a criminal; treat a person as a criminal (also criminalise)
crimi·nal·ize criminalizes criminalizing criminalized in BRIT, also use criminalise If a government criminalizes an action or person, it officially declares that the action or the person's behaviour is illegal. There is no move to criminalise alcohol. to make something illegal, or to say that someone is a criminal because of something they have done decriminalize