Definition

Noun: 1. The crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government: This is the most serious crime against the state, involving acts intended to destroy or undermine the government's authority or aid its enemies. 2. (Formal/Legal) A crime that undermines the offender's own government: This definition focuses on the act's consequence—weakening or endangering the state's security and constitutional order.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The spy was convicted of high treason for selling state secrets to a foreign power.
  • In historical times, plotting to assassinate the king was considered an act of high treason.
  • The general was accused of high treason for leading a rebellion against the legitimate government.

Advanced Usage

• "To commit high treason": This is the standard phrase for describing the act of betraying one's country in the most serious way.
  • The court found the minister guilty of committing high treason.
• "Charged with high treason": This describes the formal legal accusation.
  • The leaders of the coup were immediately charged with high treason.

Variants and Related Words

• Treason (n): Often used interchangeably with "high treason," though in some legal systems, "treason" can be a broader category, with "high treason" reserved for the most severe acts against the sovereign or head of state.
• Treasonous (adj): Describing an act or person guilty of or involving treason.
  • His treasonous actions shocked the nation.
• Treachery (n): Betrayal of trust; disloyalty. This is a broader, often less legalistic term than "high treason."
• Sedition (n): Conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state. This is generally considered a lesser crime than high treason, as it involves incitement rather than direct betrayal or acts of war.

Synonyms

• Betrayal (of one's country)
• Lèse-majesté (specifically against a sovereign)
• Perfidy (literary, meaning deceitfulness, untrustworthiness)

Related Phrases

• "Treason felony": In some jurisdictions, this is a historical or specific legal charge related to acts falling short of high treason but still against the state.
• "Petty treason": An archaic term for the murder of one's master (e.g., a servant killing a master) or a wife killing her husband, historically considered a betrayal of the natural social order. This is distinct from "high treason" against the state.

Noun

1. a crime that undermines the offender's government