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Criminalize vs Illegalize - What's the difference?

criminalize | illegalize |

As verbs the difference between criminalize and illegalize

is that criminalize is to make (something) a crime; to make illegal under criminal law; to ban while illegalize is to make illegal, to prohibit by law, to criminalize something that had previously been legal.

criminalize

English

Alternative forms

* (l)

Verb

(criminaliz)
  • To make (something) a crime; to make illegal under criminal law; to ban.

    • Derived terms

    * decriminalize * recriminalize

    illegalize

    English

    Verb

  • (nonstandard) To make illegal, to prohibit by law, to criminalize something that had previously been legal.