unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
Synonyms of unlawfulnext
1
: not lawful : illegal
2
: not morally right or conventional
unlawfully
ˌən-ˈlȯ-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
adverb
unlawfulness
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl-nəs How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of unlawful in a Sentence

The sale of alcohol to minors is unlawful. it is unlawful to set off fireworks within the city limits
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Court documents show a Maricopa County Superior Court grand jury indicted Jeffrey Michael Kelly on Oct. 29 on four counts of unlawful use of an infectious biological substance or radiological agent. —Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner sued Musk and America PAC over the offer, calling it an unlawful lottery under Pennsylvania law and leading to Monday’s court hearing. —David Ingram, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024 While unlawful crossings remain low, some U.S. officials are concerned the presidential election could disturb the fragile equilibrium achieved at the southern border in recent months. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 Nov. 2024 Three counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, a Class 6 Felony. —Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unlawful 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unlawful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unlawful

unlawed

unlawful

unlax

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

unlawful

adjective
un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
unlawfully
-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
adverb
unlawfulness
-fəl-nəs How to pronounce unlawful (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

unlawful

adjective
un·​law·​ful
1
: not lawful : not authorized or justified by law
2
: acting contrary to or in defiance of the law
an unlawful possessor
unlawfully adverb
unlawfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unlawful

Nglish: Translation of unlawful for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of unlawful for Arabic Speakers

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