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
Anthony Paz Torres, 39, pleaded guilty to five federal hate crime counts on Sept. 14, 2023, for killing one person and trying to kill four others at Omar’s Wheels and Tires in Dallas in December 2015.
—
James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
The new hate crime law has also faced criticism over its impact on freedom of speech and concerns that it could be used to silence some views, including from those who advocate for women-only spaces.
—Staff and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
From the Utah’s women’s basketball team being the victim of racial hate crimes to LSU’s racialized depiction in the media, race has been a focal point of the headlines at this year’s NCAA tournament.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
The team later left Idaho over the incident, according to previous Statesman reporting, and the FBI is involved in a hate crime investigation.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 29 Mar. 2024
Prosecutor Brant Levine urged the judges to uphold the hate crime convictions.
—Blayne Alexander, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024
The government said the new definition was necessary due to a rise in hate crimes since the October 7 attacks.
—Luke McGee, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
The students were charged as juveniles with harassment and violations of state hate crimes statutes, the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release Friday.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
The walkout was sparked by the recent altercation that students characterized as a hate crime and said sent the girl to the hospital.
—Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
The new hate crime law has also faced criticism over its impact on freedom of speech and concerns that it could be used to silence some views, including from those who advocate for women-only spaces.
—Staff and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
From the Utah’s women’s basketball team being the victim of racial hate crimes to LSU’s racialized depiction in the media, race has been a focal point of the headlines at this year’s NCAA tournament.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
The team later left Idaho over the incident, according to previous Statesman reporting, and the FBI is involved in a hate crime investigation.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 29 Mar. 2024
Prosecutor Brant Levine urged the judges to uphold the hate crime convictions.
—Blayne Alexander, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024
The government said the new definition was necessary due to a rise in hate crimes since the October 7 attacks.
—Luke McGee, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
The students were charged as juveniles with harassment and violations of state hate crimes statutes, the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release Friday.
—USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
The walkout was sparked by the recent altercation that students characterized as a hate crime and said sent the girl to the hospital.
—Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
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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Cite this Entry
“Hate crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hate%20crime. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.
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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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