unconstitutional

[uhn-kon-sti-too-shuh-nl, -tyoo-]

adjective

1. not constitutional; unauthorized by or inconsistent with the constitution, as of a country.

unconstitutional

/ ˌʌnkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃənəl /

adjective

1. at variance with or not permitted by a constitution

Other Word Forms

• unconstitutionalism noun
• unconstitutionality noun
• unconstitutionally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unconstitutional¹

First recorded in 1735–45; un- ¹ + constitutional

Example Sentences

Perhaps the Supreme Court might try to resurrect Taney’s Dred Scott opinion and declare the memo and the statute unconstitutional.

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In a series of rulings in 1883, the Supreme Court found the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional, ruling that the federal government lacked power to prevent private business discrimination.

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But conservative challengers sued, arguing that using race as a central factor, even to fix a proven racial imbalance. constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

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CFPB, where the court ruled the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s leadership structure was unconstitutional, he articulated his desire to “repudiate” the “erroneous precedent” of Humphrey’s.

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In forceful speeches, University of Southern California department chairs, professors, researchers and others who attended the virtual meeting called the compact “egregiously invalid,” “probably unconstitutional,” “antithetical to principles of academic freedom” and “a Trojan horse.”

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Related Words

• illegitimate 
• unlawful 
• wrongful