MISDEMEANOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does misdemeanor mean? 

• MISDEMEANOR (noun)
  The noun MISDEMEANOR has 1 sense:

1. a crime less serious than a felony

  Familiarity information: MISDEMEANOR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MISDEMEANOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A crime less serious than a felony

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

infraction; infringement; misdemeanor; misdemeanour; violation

Hypernyms ("misdemeanor" is a kind of...):

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "misdemeanor"):

breach of the peace; disorderly behavior; disorderly conduct; disturbance of the peace (any act of molesting, interrupting, hindering, agitating, or arousing from a state of repose or otherwise depriving inhabitants of the peace and quiet to which they are entitled)

false pretence; false pretense ((law) an offense involving intent to defraud and false representation and obtaining property as a result of that misrepresentation)

indecent exposure; public nudity (vulgar and offensive nakedness in a public place)

bearing false witness; lying under oath; perjury (criminal offense of making false statements under oath)

sedition (an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government)

 Context examples 

The encouragement Buck gave the rebels led them into all kinds of petty misdemeanors.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Surely to assault truth is a more serious misdemeanor than to insult a pygmy personality such as the judge's.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A type of program designed to assist individuals and families to address diverse issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, child disobedience, behavioral deviations, misdemeanor and felony.

(Diversion Program, NCI Thesaurus)