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hate crime
noun
: any of various crimes (such as assault or defacement of property) when motivated by hostility to the victim as a member of a group (such as one based on color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation)
Examples of hate crime in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Once a victim reports a hate crime to CA vs Hate, they are given the option to connect with a care coordinator and follow-up services.
—Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 21 May 2024
The shooter of two Jewish men in L.A. agrees to plead guilty to hate crimes.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Jaime Tran, formerly of Riverside, California, is expected to plead guilty to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said in a news release.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024
The man accused of shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles last year has agreed to plead guilty to hate crime and firearm charges, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
—Quinn Owen, ABC News, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hate crime
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hate crime.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1960, in the meaning defined above
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Dictionary Entries Near hate crime
Cite this Entry
“Hate crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hate%20crime. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
hate crime
noun
plural hate crimes
: any of various crimes (as assault) when motivated by hostility to the victim based on social characteristics (as color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin)
Legal Definition
hate crime
noun
: a crime that violates the victim's civil rights and that is motivated by hostility to the victim's race, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender
More from Merriam-Webster on hate crime
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hate crime
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hate crime
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