SKIP TO CONTENT

victimless

/ˈvɪktəmləs/
IPA guide

When something is victimless, no one is harmed by it. If you accidentally run a stop sign on an empty road and nobody gets hurt, it makes sense to consider it a victimless crime.

The adjective victimless often refers to a punishable crime that didn't really hurt anyone; in other words, there's no victim. For example, it might be illegal to loiter in front of the library at night, but it's really a victimless offense. This word comes from the Latin root victima, "person or animal killed in sacrifice," and -less, "free from."

Definitions of victimless
  1. adjective
    relating to an illegal act in which no person is injured
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘victimless'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family