lawful
Americanadjective
-
allowed or permitted by law; not contrary to law.
a lawful enterprise.
- Synonyms:
- legal
-
recognized or sanctioned by law; legitimate.
a lawful marriage; a lawful heir.
- Synonyms:
- licit
-
appointed or recognized by law; legally qualified.
a lawful king.
-
acting or living according to the law; law-abiding.
a lawful man; a lawful community.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lawful
First recorded in 1250–1300, lawful is from the Middle English word laghful. See law 1, -ful
Explanation
When something's legal, or the rules allow it, you can call it lawful. It's lawful to plant a tree in your yard, but it's not lawful to dig up a tree in the city park. Things that are lawful are allowed or permitted, like driving after you've gotten your driver's license or baking your neighbor a cake. Neither of these things is prohibited by law, so they're lawful. You have a lawful right to build a cabin on land you own, and it's also lawful to put up a fence. The adjective comes from law, which has an Old English root, lagu, "ordinance, rule, regulation, or a district governed by them."
Vocabulary lists containing lawful
A Just Cause: Synonyms for "Fair"
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Ten Words related to Citizenship
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You Are Correct! Synonyms for "Right"
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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.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law strengthening California’s protections against civil arrests for people traveling to, attending or leaving courthouses for lawful purposes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
The head of Scotland's prosecution service, the-then Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, told the Scottish Parliament she had received confirmation that Al-Marimi was transferred to US custody "on a lawful basis".
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Marcos Charles, a senior ICE official, told reporters that Bergal had "refused lawful orders to exit his vehicle."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The charges centered on lawful permanent residents in Florida, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Because the imagination responds to all three, it acts in lawful, if unpredictable, ways that are determined by the psyche and the mind.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
