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
- lawfully adverb
- lawfulness noun
- prelawful adjective
- prelawfully adverb
- prelawfulness noun
- quasi-lawful adjective
- quasi-lawfully adverb
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.
According to Essayli, Mafi is "an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016".
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
They received lawful permanent residency in June 2016, Rubio said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
So he tried again, this time describing his force as the “most professional in the world” and vowing it would “always strike lawful targets.”
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
“Compliance with a lawful order of a court is not optional; it is required in a democracy committed to the rule of law.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
"I am their lawful prince," Theon said stiffly.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
