A misdemeanor is a lesser criminal offence, usually met with a fine or a short sentence, while a felony is a serious crime that can bring at least a year in prison. Shoplifting a candy bar might be a misdemeanor; burglary is typically charged as a felony.
The core difference
A misdemeanor is a minor crime with lighter penalties, while a felony is a serious crime with much harsher ones.
- misdemeanor — a minor criminal offence, less serious than a felony: Shoplifting a candy bar was charged as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
- felony — a serious crime, typically punishable by at least a year in prison: Burglary is charged as a felony in most states.
How to tell them apart
The simplest test is the likely punishment. If the offence would draw a fine or a short spell in a local jail, it sits in misdemeanor territory. If it could mean a year or more in prison, it is treated as a felony.
These terms come up constantly in news reports on court cases, where the charge itself signals how seriously the crime is being treated. Note that this is American legal terminology; England and Wales use different classifications, such as summary and indictable offences, rather than misdemeanor and felony.
