criminally
UK: /ˈkrɪm.ɪ.nəl.i/ | US: /ˈkrɪm.ə.nəl.i/
adv. in a manner involving crime or illegal activity
adv. (informal) to an extreme or shocking degree
The word "criminally" derives from the Latin crimen (meaning "accusation" or "crime"), which evolved into the Old French criminel. The suffix -ly is of Old English origin, used to form adverbs. The combination reflects the transition from describing unlawful acts (criminal) to modifying actions or states (criminally), often emphasizing severity or illegality.
He was convicted of acting criminally in the fraud case.
The company was fined for criminally neglecting safety regulations.
She argued that the law was criminally unjust.
The prices were criminally high during the shortage.
The film was criminally underrated by critics.