lawless
contrary to or without regard for the law: lawless violence.
being without law; uncontrolled by a law; unbridled; unruly; unrestrained: lawless passion.
illegal: bootleggers' lawless activity.
Origin of lawless
1Other words from lawless
- law·less·ly, adverb
- law·less·ness, noun
Words Nearby lawless
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use lawless in a sentence
We are leaving Afghanistan because 20 years of war and occupation have demonstrated we can never completely eradicate such threats in countries that remain lawless and largely ungoverned.
America Took the Bait After an Attack 20 Years Ago. Not This Time. | David Rothkopf | August 26, 2021 | The Daily BeastEven if this injunction is lawless, and even if it is ultimately vacated by a higher court, that process could take months or even years.
No verification system, no algorithm that boosts their posts, it’s a completely lawless wasteland for them.
Trouble in fandom paradise: Tumblr users lash out against its beta subscription feature | Amanda Silberling | July 22, 2021 | TechCrunchTeigen was propelled to online stardom in the early 2010s, when social media was even more of a lawless land and her devil-may-care brand of tweeting fit right in.
Chrissy Teigen and the perils of being an extremely online celebrity | Sonia Rao | June 17, 2021 | Washington PostThe Far Cry series continues to ask players to face off against "shades of gray" villains in wide-open, semi-lawless territories.
Far Cry 6 gameplay reveal: Ride a horse, pet a dog, set lots of things on fire | Sam Machkovech | May 28, 2021 | Ars Technica
The lawless law enforcement in eastern Ukraine exists somewhere between Soviet rule and vigilante justice.
The Corrupt Cops of Rebel-Held East Ukraine | Kristina Jovanovski | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“It devolved from a very poor neighborhood to a very lawless one,” says Randall, who is refreshingly unsentimental.
If the law passes in Denmark, only Finland, Hungary and Sweden will remain lawless when it comes to Lassie.
The horrific case of an abandoned baby with Down syndrome has exposed the lawless world of international surrogacy.
“The methamphetamine trade has made Wyoming revert to the lawless anarchy of the Old West,” he remarked pungently.
The Myths of Matthew Shepard’s Infamous Death | Stephen Jimenez | September 22, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTLet us remember that "if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom!"
The Eve of the Revolution | Carl BeckerBut before the Revolution our ancestors had known a standing army only as an instrument of lawless power.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington MacaulayHe urged upon the Assembly the adoption of immediate and energetic measures to arrest these execrable deeds of lawless violence.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. AbbottStill, the influence of Roland and his wife was feared by those who were directing the terrible enginery of lawless violence.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. AbbottEven the lawless classes of society generally shrink from blood.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington Macaulay
British Dictionary definitions for lawless
/ (ˈlɔːlɪs) /
without law
disobedient to the law
contrary to or heedless of the law
uncontrolled; unbridled: lawless rage
Derived forms of lawless
- lawlessly, adverb
- lawlessness, noun
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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