lawless
Americanadjective
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contrary to or without regard for the law.
lawless violence.
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being without law; uncontrolled by a law; unbridled; unruly; unrestrained.
lawless passion.
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illegal.
bootleggers' lawless activity.
adjective
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without law
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disobedient to the law
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contrary to or heedless of the law
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uncontrolled; unbridled
lawless rage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lawless
First recorded in 1150–1200; from Middle English laweles; see law 1, -less
Explanation
A lawless society is one without any rules or order. In some respects, the Old West era of the U.S. was a lawless time. When you think of old-timey saloons and sheriffs and cowboys, you probably envision lawless bandits riding boldly into town — in other words, criminals accustomed to making their own rules, rather than following any established laws. A lawless city today is one that's in such chaos that order can't be kept, even by police officers. To be lawless is to be without law, which stems from the Old English lagu, "law or rule."
Vocabulary lists containing lawless
Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech
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Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
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Wrong
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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.
We may live in an increasingly lawless society, but that doesn’t mean all significance should be abandoned at will.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
"Some of these scams are in almost lawless areas or in areas which are controlled by armed gangs… that the governments may have very little control over."
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
"Under such circumstances, what exactly is Iran expected to do?" he asked, stating: "Iran is not a nation that submits to coercion, intimidation or lawless aggression."
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
This instability created lawless zones such as the “neutral ground” of Bergen County in northeast New Jersey and the Pine Barrens in the south, where hardened “banditti” flourished.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
At that lawless flower-child Camp Day-Glo, they probably let you drive when your foot could reach the pedal without breaking the moisture seal on your training pants.
From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman
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.
