WordValefelony
a serious crime, typically punishable by over a year in prison
In more detail
1. (noun) a serious crime that is punished more severely than a misdemeanor, such as murder, robbery, or rape
Examples
- He was convicted of a felony and sentenced to five years in prison.
How to use felony
A felony is a legal term referring to serious crimes that carry substantial prison sentences, typically more than one year in the US system. It is used in formal legal contexts and contrasts with misdemeanor, which covers less serious offenses. The term is standard in judicial, criminal justice, and formal written English.
Common phrases
- commit a felony
- convicted of a felony
- felony charge
- felony conviction
- violent felony
- felony offense
Synonyms
serious crime · grave offense · major crime · indictable offense
Opposites
misdemeanor
Word family
felon (noun) · felonious (adjective) · feloniously (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'felony' and 'misdemeanor' interchangeably or confuse their relative severity; remember that a felony is the more serious category.
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