cybercrime
noun
cy·ber·crime
ˈsī-bər-ˌkrīm 
plural cybercrimes
: criminal activity (such as fraud, theft, or distribution of child pornography) committed using a computer especially to illegally access, transmit, or manipulate data
The growing number of mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, and the popularity of social networks give them new avenues in which to expand their cybercrime.—
Eric Geier
Eric GeierCybercrime is taking a bottom-line toll on the corporate workplace. Last year, losses exceeded $100 million—and that figure continues to skyrocket as security breaches pose an increasing threat to U.S. corporations, banks, and even the government.—Beth Wilson
Beth Wilson
also
: an instance of such activity
The increasing prevalence of cloud computing … has made storing and accessing important electronic data easier and less expensive than ever. However, the expanding number of documents and other information being stored electronically has increased the threat of cybercrimes, including data breaches. —John Squitero
John Squitero
cybercriminal
ˈsī-bər-ˌkri-mə-nᵊl
noun
-ˈkrim-nəl
plural cybercriminals
More small businesses are falling victim to "ransomware," to which malicious code locks up computer files and cybercriminals demand a ransom to free them.
—Ruth Simon
Ruth Simon
Examples of cybercrime in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Forbes senior contributor Tony Bradley writes that the 2025 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report paints a stark picture of the current landscape of cybercrime.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
This is a toolkit built by Chinese cybercrime groups, Forbes reports.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The district attorney's office encouraged any Queens resident who may have been a victim of a cybercrime to contact the office.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
Amid the political turmoil, Myanmar has become a cyber scam hotspot, where fraud, cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering and corruption have flourished, often with the tacit consent of the junta, experts say.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cybercrime
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Megan Poinski, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
This is a toolkit built by Chinese cybercrime groups, Forbes reports.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The district attorney's office encouraged any Queens resident who may have been a victim of a cybercrime to contact the office.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
Amid the political turmoil, Myanmar has become a cyber scam hotspot, where fraud, cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering and corruption have flourished, often with the tacit consent of the junta, experts say.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cybercrime
Cite this Entry
“Cybercrime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cybercrime. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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cybercrime
noun
cy·ber·crime
ˈsī-bər-ˌkrīm
: crime (as theft, fraud, intellectual property violations, or distribution of child pornography) committed electronically
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