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View synonyms for illegal

illegal

[ ih-lee-guhl ]

adjective

  1. forbidden by law or statute.

    Synonyms: unlicensed, illicit, illegitimate, unlawful

  2. contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.:

    The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.



noun

  1. Informal: Disparaging and Offensive. illegal alien.

illegal

/ ɪˈliːɡəl /

adjective

  1. forbidden by law; unlawful; illicit
  2. unauthorized or prohibited by a code of official or accepted rules
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. a person who has entered or attempted to enter a country illegally
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Sensitive Note

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Derived Forms

  • ˌilleˈgality, noun
  • ilˈlegally, adverb
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Other Words From

  • il·legal·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of illegal1

From the Medieval Latin word illēgālis, dating back to 1620–30. See il- 2, legal
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Compare Meanings

How does illegal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Synonym Study

Illegal, unlawful, illegitimate, illicit, criminal can all describe actions not in accord with law. Illegal refers most specifically to violations of statutes or, in organized athletics, codified rules: an illegal seizure of property; an illegal block ( in football ). Unlawful means not sanctioned by or according to law: an unlawful claim to the inheritance; to take unlawful advantage of the trading situation. Illegitimate means lacking legal or traditional right or rights: an illegitimate child; illegitimate use of privileged knowledge. Illicit, which originally meant simply “not permitted,” now most often applies to matters regulated by law with specific emphasis on the way things are carried out: illicit conversion of property; an illicit attempt to control the market. Criminal most often refers to violation of the statutes of penal as opposed to civil law. All felonies are criminal as are all crimes sometimes punishable by death such as murder, arson, and kidnapping: a criminal act.
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Example Sentences

“We will beat up anime kids. … We will bring the American family back to the woods, back to self-sufficiency. … We will oust illegal immigrants with zero mercy.”

From Salon

The previous Trump administration declared in 2019 that it did not consider Israeli settlements illegal under international law, contradicting decades of US policy.

From BBC

But the question, he said, was what Hegseth would do if Trump ordered him to instruct the military to perform illegal acts.

The Paris prosecutor has asked for a prison sentence of five years and a five-year ban from political office for far-right leader Marine Le Pen in an illegal party funding case.

From BBC

"We know that on day one he is going to launch the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in American history," she said.

From BBC

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Ille-et-Vilaineillegal alien