Sometimes, people use creative language to talk about crime. Instead of saying something directly, they compare it to something else. These comparisons are called metaphors. A metaphor helps paint a picture in your mind. For example, someone might say, “He has sticky fingers,” but they don’t mean his hands are actually sticky they mean he steals things.
In this article, you’ll learn some common metaphors people use when talking about crime. These phrases can help make stories or conversations more interesting. They can also help you understand how people feel about what happened. Learning these metaphors can help you understand books, movies, and even news stories better.
Metaphors about Crime
1. Climbing the criminal ladder
Meaning: Moving up in criminal activities or ranks.
Give an Instance: He started with small crimes and slowly moved up, climbing the criminal ladder. / She felt like she was climbing the criminal ladder, getting involved in more dangerous activities.
Substitute Meaning: Rising in crime ranks / Moving to more serious crimes
2. Breaking the law
Meaning: To commit an illegal act.
Give an Instance: He was caught for breaking the law when he stole from the store. / She had no choice but to break the law to survive.
Substitute Meaning: Committing a crime / Disobeying the rules
3. In the criminal spotlight
Meaning: Being the focus of law enforcement or public attention for illegal activities.
Give an Instance: The suspect was in the criminal spotlight after the robbery. / He couldn’t escape the criminal spotlight after the scandal.
Substitute Meaning: Under investigation / In the public eye
4. On the run
Meaning: Fleeing or trying to escape from the police or authorities.
Give an Instance: After the bank robbery, the criminals were on the run for days. / The suspect was on the run, hiding from the authorities.
Substitute Meaning: Escaping / Trying to avoid arrest
5. A crime of passion
Meaning: A crime committed due to intense emotions, often unplanned.
Give an Instance: The argument escalated into a crime of passion when he lost his temper. / She was caught in a crime of passion after a heated argument.
Substitute Meaning: An impulsive crime / Driven by strong emotions
6. Breaking and entering
Meaning: To unlawfully enter a building or property with the intent to commit a crime, usually theft.
Give an Instance: The thieves were caught for breaking and entering when they stole from the house. / The police arrested him for breaking and entering during the night.
Substitute Meaning: Trespassing / Illegal entry
7. A clean getaway
Meaning: Successfully escaping from a crime without getting caught.
Give an Instance: The thief made a clean getaway, escaping with the jewels. / They planned their escape carefully, ensuring a clean getaway.
Substitute Meaning: Escape without consequences / Getting away scot-free
8. Covering one’s tracks
Meaning: To hide or remove evidence of wrongdoing.
Give an Instance: He tried covering his tracks by deleting all the files. / She covered her tracks after the accident, making sure no one knew she was involved.
Substitute Meaning: Hiding the truth / Concealing evidence
9. Caught red-handed
Meaning: Caught in the act of committing a crime.
Give an Instance: He was caught red-handed, stealing the car from the garage. / She was caught red-handed, breaking into the office.
Substitute Meaning: Caught in the act / Found committing a crime
10. In the clear
Meaning: Free from suspicion or blame after being suspected of a crime.
Give an Instance: After the investigation, he was in the clear, with no evidence against him. / She was relieved when she found out she was in the clear and not involved in the crime.
Substitute Meaning: Free of suspicion / Cleared of wrongdoing
11. A shady deal
Meaning: A suspicious or dishonest transaction.
Give an Instance: The whole operation looked like a shady deal, with no clear paperwork. / He made a shady deal to win the contract.
Substitute Meaning: Suspicious transaction / Dishonest business
12. The usual suspects
Meaning: A group of people who are often blamed for crimes, especially when they are already known troublemakers.
Give an Instance: The police arrested the usual suspects, as they were the ones who had committed similar crimes before. / The usual suspects were blamed for the recent vandalism in the neighborhood.
Substitute Meaning: Known troublemakers / The regular suspects
13. In hot water
Meaning: In serious trouble, often because of something illegal.
Give an Instance: He found himself in hot water when the police discovered his involvement in the robbery. / She was in hot water after being caught cheating.
Substitute Meaning: In trouble / Facing consequences
14. A criminal record
Meaning: A documented history of criminal activity.
Give an Instance: His criminal record made it impossible for him to find a job. / She couldn’t get hired because of her criminal record.
Substitute Meaning: Past convictions / History of crimes
15. On the case
Meaning: Actively investigating a crime or trying to solve a problem.
Give an Instance: The detective was on the case, trying to figure out who committed the robbery. / The police were on the case, following up on new leads.
Substitute Meaning: Investigating / Working on the investigation
16. A slap on the wrist
Meaning: A light or lenient punishment for a crime.
Give an Instance: The thief received only a slap on the wrist, getting away with just a fine. / He got a slap on the wrist for skipping school for weeks.
Substitute Meaning: Minor punishment / A small consequence
17. In the line of duty
Meaning: While performing one’s job, especially when it involves dangerous work such as law enforcement or military service.
Give an Instance: The officer was injured in the line of duty while trying to arrest the suspect. / The firefighter risked his life in the line of duty to save others.
Substitute Meaning: While working / On duty
18. A perfect crime
Meaning: A crime that is carried out without leaving any evidence, making it impossible to solve.
Give an Instance: The robbery was so carefully planned, it seemed like a perfect crime. / They pulled off a perfect crime, leaving no clues behind.
Substitute Meaning: Flawless crime / Unsolvable crime
19. A hit and run
Meaning: A situation where someone commits a crime, especially an accident, and then flees the scene.
Give an Instance: The police are looking for the person involved in the hit and run on the highway. / He was arrested after the hit and run accident.
Substitute Meaning: Fleeting crime / Escape after a crime
20. Do time
Meaning: To serve a prison sentence after being convicted of a crime.
Give an Instance: He had to do time for his involvement in the drug trafficking ring. / She did time for her part in the bank robbery.
Substitute Meaning: Serve jail time / Be imprisoned
21. Get away with murder
Meaning: To commit a serious crime and escape punishment.
Give an Instance: He always lies and never gets caught. It seems like he gets away with murder. / She acts as if she can get away with murder, never facing any consequences.
Substitute Meaning: Escape punishment / Avoid getting caught
22. Take the fall
Meaning: To take responsibility or blame for something, especially a crime, that someone else committed.
Give an Instance: Mike took the fall for the broken window, even though it wasn’t his fault. / She took the fall for her friend’s cheating during the exam.
Substitute Meaning: Accept blame / Be blamed for something
23. An inside job
Meaning: A crime that is committed by someone who has knowledge of the place or system, often an employee or insider.
Give an Instance: The bank robbery was an inside job, with one of the employees involved. / It turned out the theft was an inside job, with the security guard involved.
Substitute Meaning: Committed by an insider / Crime from within
24. In custody
Meaning: Being held by the police, especially after being arrested.
Give an Instance: The suspect is in custody while the police gather more evidence. / He was in custody for questioning after the burglary.
Substitute Meaning: Arrested / Detained by the authorities
25. Face the music
Meaning: To accept the consequences of one’s actions, especially when those actions involve wrongdoing.
Give an Instance: After skipping school for weeks, he had to face the music when his parents found out. / She had to face the music after getting caught cheating on the test.
Substitute Meaning: Accept the consequences / Confront the results
26. A crime wave
Meaning: A period of increased criminal activity in a certain area.
Give an Instance: The city was experiencing a crime wave, with thefts happening every night. / The neighborhood felt unsafe due to a rising crime wave.
Substitute Meaning: Surge in crime / A period of increased crime
27. Busted
Meaning: Caught doing something illegal or wrong.
Give an Instance: She was busted for cheating on the test when the teacher found her notes. / The thief was busted after the security camera footage revealed him.
Substitute Meaning: Caught red-handed / Arrested
28. A slap on the wrist
Meaning: A mild or light punishment, usually for a minor crime.
Give an Instance: He was caught shoplifting, but he only received a slap on the wrist. / The teacher gave him a slap on the wrist for skipping class, not a serious punishment.
Substitute Meaning: Mild punishment / Lenient consequence
29. In the clear
Meaning: Free from suspicion or blame after being involved in a crime.
Give an Instance: After proving his innocence, he was in the clear and free to go. / She was in the clear once the police realized she wasn’t involved in the crime.
Substitute Meaning: Cleared of suspicion / Not guilty
30. On the case
Meaning: Actively working to solve a crime or investigate a problem.
Give an Instance: The detective was on the case, searching for clues. / The police officer was on the case and questioned everyone involved in the robbery.
Substitute Meaning: Investigating / Working on a problem
31. A shady deal
Meaning: A dishonest or suspicious transaction.
Give an Instance: The businessman was involved in a shady deal that eventually led to his downfall. / He was caught making a shady deal with illegal goods.
Substitute Meaning: Dishonest transaction / Suspicious agreement
32. Cracking the case
Meaning: Solving or figuring out a complicated crime or mystery.
Give an Instance: The detective cracked the case after finding the hidden clues. / After days of investigation, the police finally cracked the case of the missing person.
Substitute Meaning: Solving the mystery / Unraveling the truth
33. Do time
Meaning: To serve a prison sentence after being convicted of a crime.
Give an Instance: He had to do time for his role in the robbery. / After being convicted, he did time for several years.
Substitute Meaning: Serve prison time / Be incarcerated
34. Pay the price
Meaning: To suffer the consequences of a crime or wrongdoing.
Give an Instance: He broke the rules and had to pay the price when he was caught. / She didn’t study and had to pay the price with a failing grade.
Substitute Meaning: Suffer consequences / Face the repercussions
35. Under investigation
Meaning: Being examined or questioned by the police for a possible crime.
Give an Instance: The suspect was under investigation for several weeks before any charges were filed. / He was under investigation for his involvement in the robbery.
Substitute Meaning: Being questioned / Being looked into
36. Get caught in the act
Meaning: To be seen doing something wrong or illegal while doing it.
Give an Instance: He got caught in the act while stealing from the store. / They got caught in the act of vandalizing the building.
Substitute Meaning: Caught red-handed / Seen committing a crime
37. Behind bars
Meaning: In jail or prison.
Give an Instance: The criminal is now behind bars, serving his sentence for the robbery. / He ended up behind bars after a long criminal career.
Substitute Meaning: In prison / Locked up
38. In hot water
Meaning: In serious trouble, often due to a crime or mistake.
Give an Instance: After the car accident, he found himself in hot water with the police. / She was in hot water after skipping work without permission.
Substitute Meaning: In trouble / Facing consequences
39. Take the fall
Meaning: To take the blame or responsibility for something, often for someone else.
Give an Instance: He took the fall for the broken window, even though his brother was the one who caused it. / She took the fall for the mistake her coworker made.
Substitute Meaning: Accept the blame / Be responsible for something
40. Get away with murder
Meaning: To commit a serious crime and not face any punishment.
Give an Instance: He always manages to get away with murder, never getting caught for his actions. / The politician got away with murder, escaping the scandal unscathed.
Substitute Meaning: Avoid punishment / Escape the consequences
41. Lock someone up
Meaning: To put someone in jail.
Give an Instance: They locked him up after he was found guilty of theft. / The police locked her up for her role in the robbery.
Substitute Meaning: Arrest / Imprison
42. A criminal mastermind
Meaning: A person who is very clever at planning and executing crimes.
Give an Instance: He was known as a criminal mastermind, planning elaborate heists for years. / The police were trying to catch the criminal mastermind behind the series of robberies.
Substitute Meaning: A brilliant criminal / A clever lawbreaker
43. On parole
Meaning: Released from prison before completing a sentence, but still under supervision.
Give an Instance: After serving time for his crime, he was released on parole. / She’s out on parole, but she has to check in with her parole officer regularly.
Substitute Meaning: Released under supervision / Out of jail with conditions
44. Pay for your crimes
Meaning: To face the punishment for illegal actions.
Give an Instance: After years of corruption, he finally had to pay for his crimes. / She will have to pay for her crimes, serving time for what she did.
Substitute Meaning: Serve punishment / Face justice
45. In the criminal spotlight
Meaning: Being the center of attention due to one’s criminal activities.
Give an Instance: After the robbery, the thief was in the criminal spotlight, with all the media coverage. / He found himself in the criminal spotlight after being caught in the fraud scandal.
Substitute Meaning: Under investigation / In the public eye
Find the “Metaphors about Crime”
Reading Passage
It was a chilly afternoon when the police received a tip-off about the criminal mastermind behind a series of thefts in the neighborhood. Detective Harris was immediately on the case, and as she dug deeper, she realized it was not just a petty crime wave but something much bigger. The suspects seemed to be the usual suspects, people who had a history of breaking the law. But Harris knew this time they would have to crack the case wide open.
As the investigation continued, a suspect was caught red-handed, trying to break into a house. They were immediately arrested and locked up, awaiting trial. However, Harris knew that the others involved would try to cover their tracks. She was determined to find the evidence to put them behind bars for good. It wasn’t going to be a clean getaway for them.
As Harris worked tirelessly, she began to feel like she was climbing the criminal ladder, moving closer to the top of the operation. Finally, after a thorough investigation, the detective was able to crack the code. The whole operation had been an inside job, with one of the employees providing information. The truth was more shocking than they had imagined.
After arresting all the criminals, the police made sure to lay down the law to them. They would face the music for their actions. The criminals could no longer hide or get away with murder. They would pay the price for their crimes, one by one.
Instructions
Read the passage again. Underline or list all the metaphors about crime you can find.
Answer Key
- On the case
- Crime wave
- The usual suspects
- Crack the case
- Caught red-handed
- Locked up
- Cover their tracks
- Climbing the criminal ladder
- Crack the code
- Inside job
Conclusion
Metaphors help us talk about crime in ways that are easier to picture and understand. Instead of saying things in plain words, we use ideas that make people think deeper like “caught red-handed” or “a shady deal.”
By learning these expressions, you can better understand stories, news, and conversations. These phrases are common in everyday life, and now you know what they really mean. Keep noticing them around you.
