1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
2
a
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
b
: a person or organization under a ban or restriction
c
: one that is unconventional or rebellious
3
: an animal (such as a horse) that is wild and unmanageable
outlaw
adjective
outlawed; outlawing; outlaws
1
a
: to deprive of the benefit and protection of law : declare to be an outlaw
b
: to make illegal
outlawed dueling
2
: to place under a ban or restriction
3
: to remove from legal jurisdiction or enforcement
Examples of outlaw in a Sentence
Noun
Billy the Kid was one of the most famous outlaws of America's early history.
Verb
That type of gun was outlawed last year.
The government passed a bill outlawing the hiring of children under the age of 12.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
But like the always-wearing-shades outlaw in that song, David Johansen was good-bad, not evil.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025
Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2025
In another sign of his everlasting campaign, Trump called for Congress to outlaw taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits, despite Republicans not expected to pursue those priorities in budget talks.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outlaw
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Still, this adaptation of an O. Henry story tilts all its sympathies toward the outlaw hero the Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter, in a Best Actor–winning role) and away from the pompous white soldier charged with tracking him down.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
But like the always-wearing-shades outlaw in that song, David Johansen was good-bad, not evil.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
This makes Mississippi the third state to outlaw meat grown in vats from small samples of animal cells.
—Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2025
In another sign of his everlasting campaign, Trump called for Congress to outlaw taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits, despite Republicans not expected to pursue those priorities in budget talks.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outlaw
Cite this Entry
“Outlaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlaw. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ 
1
: a person who is not given the protection of the law
2
: a lawless person or one who is running away from the law
3
: an animal (as a horse) that is wild and hard to control
outlaw
adjective
outlaw
2 of 2 verb1
: to deprive of the protection of law
2
: to make illegal
dueling was outlawed
Legal Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ
1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
a trespasser is not an outlaw
2
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
3
: a person or organization (as a nation) under a ban or restriction or considered to be in defiance of norms or laws
considered an outlaw for its support of terrorism
Etymology
Noun
Old English ūtlaga, from Old Norse ūtlagi, from ūt out + lag, lǫg law
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