verb
- to remove or reduce the criminal penalties for something, making it no longer a criminal offense
Usage: often used in legal and political contexts
Examples
- Several states have moved to decriminalize marijuana possession.
- The city council voted to decriminalize jaywalking.
- Advocates argue that we should decriminalize drug addiction and treat it as a health issue.
- Portugal decided to decriminalize personal drug use in 2001.
- The proposal would decriminalize minor traffic violations.
- Many countries have chosen to decriminalize homosexuality over the past decades.