felony
A crime, typically one involving violence, regarded as more serious than a misdemeanor, and usually punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death.
Felony is a classification of severity. It carries long-term consequences, such as the loss of the right to vote or own a firearm in many places.
Word relationships
- crime: Crime is the general term; felony is a specific high-level category of crime.
- misdemeanor: A minor wrongdoing, less serious than a felony.
Commonly confused with
- misdemeanor: Felonies are serious (prison); misdemeanors are minor (jail/fines).
Word family
- felon (noun): A person who has been convicted of a felony.
- felonious (adjective): Relating to or involved in a felony.
Collocations
- commit a felony
- felony conviction
- aggravated felony
- felony murder
Example sentences
- "Because he had a prior felony on his record, the judge was less inclined to be lenient." A news report on a criminal record.
- "In the United States, a felony is a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year." A legal explanation of crime categories.
Memory hook
Felony = Fall + Any. If you commit a felony, you 'fall' out of society and lose 'any' rights you had. A serious crime.
When not to use
Do not use for minor crimes like petty theft or traffic violations; those are 'misdemeanors' or 'infractions.'
Fun facts
- The 'Felony Murder Rule' allows a person to be charged with murder if someone dies during the commission of a dangerous felony, even if they didn't mean to kill anyone.
- In some states, 'felony disenfranchisement' means you can never vote again after a conviction.
Related words
Explore more words
convict, penitentiary, penal, fatality, sentence, retributive
Also appears in
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