1
a
: being in harmony with the law
a lawful judgment
b
: constituted, authorized, or established by law : rightful
lawful institutions
2
: law-abiding
lawful citizens
Examples of lawful in a Sentence
a lawful search of the property
hunting is a lawful activity only if you have the proper license
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond legal resistance, businesses must recognize that these executive actions do not prevent private employers from maintaining lawful DEI strategies.
—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Green cards, or lawful permanent resident cards, allow eligible immigrants to live and work permanently in the United States.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025
So what constitutional rights do lawful residents possess? Dallas-Fort Worth has already seen the Trump administration’s new executive order in action.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
State agencies casually slow-walk or ignore lawful requests for public records.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
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Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Green cards, or lawful permanent resident cards, allow eligible immigrants to live and work permanently in the United States.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025
So what constitutional rights do lawful residents possess? Dallas-Fort Worth has already seen the Trump administration’s new executive order in action.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
State agencies casually slow-walk or ignore lawful requests for public records.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
Cite this Entry
“Lawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawful. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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