adjective
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illegal
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illicit; immoral
unlawful love
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an archaic word for illegitimate
Synonym Usage
See illegal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unlawful
First recorded in 1250–1300, unlawful is from the Middle English word unlaweful. See un- 1, lawful
Compare meaning
How does unlawful compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said the investigation into the unlawful protest, which prevented the parade, was under way and was "fully resourced".
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Another option, something Briffault admits is petty but has been done before, is to slash the salaries of people at the agency responsible for the unlawful behavior, or even folks who worked on it.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
One bill, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” makes it easier for residents to sue federal agents for alleged civil rights violations, such as racial profiling, unlawful searches or interfering with the right to free speech.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
In December 2025, Treasury issued instructions that homeowner assistance fund participants should “cease any unlawful discrimination.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
No one knew with certainty what law they were breaking, but it seemed unlawful somehow.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
