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
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Other 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
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.
The appellate court's decision came after three men facing criminal charges in New Jersey argued that the prosecutor's appointment was not lawful, the BBC's US partner CBS News reported.
From BBC
He wrote that the series of strikes on boats were "lawful under both US and international law".
From BBC
These advantages are most appealing when China lacks a strong justification for claiming its actions are lawful countermeasures, as with its continuing campaign against Japan.
He called the reports “fabricated” and framing the operations as lawful efforts to stop narco-terrorists and destroy drug-trafficking vessels, with all actions reviewed by military and civilian lawyers.
From Salon
The company said it has "co-operated fully and transparently with all lawful investigations".
From BBC
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.
