decriminalize

1. (transitive) To change the laws so something is no longer a crime.Examples: "The march to decriminalize drugs moved further across the nation on Tuesday despite continued federal prohibition."; "The House of Representatives approved decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level on Friday in the first time Congress has acted on the issue."; "Last fall Oregon voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of almost all hard drugs, taking a groundbreaking step away from the arrest, charge and jail model for possession that's been a centerpiece of American drug policy since President Richard Nixon declared his War on Drugs 50 years ago this week."Synonyms: legalizeAntonyms: criminalizeBritishEnglishOxfordUStransitive