Dictionary.com
definitions

lawless

[ law-lis ]
/ ˈlɔ lɪs /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lawless ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

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.

RELATED CONTENT

What Is Freedom of Speech?Which amendment gives us freedom of speech? “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” -First Amendment to the Constitution We Americans love to refer to the First …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

barbarous, chaotic, turbulent, violent, unruly, anarchic, bad, contumacious, criminal, despotic, disobedient, disordered, disorderly, evil, fierce, heterodox, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous, nihilistic

Nearby words

  1. lawfully,
  2. lawgiver,
  3. lawin,
  4. lawing,
  5. lawks,
  6. lawlessly,
  7. lawmaker,
  8. lawman,
  9. lawn,
  10. lawn bowling

Origin of lawless

First recorded in 1150–1200, lawless is from the Middle English word laweles. See law1, -less
Related formslaw·less·ly, adverblaw·less·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lawless

British Dictionary definitions for lawless

lawless

/ (ˈlɔːlɪs) /

adjective

without law
disobedient to the law
contrary to or heedless of the law
uncontrolled; unbridledlawless rage
Derived Formslawlessly, adverblawlessness, 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

Word Origin and History for lawless

lawless

adj.

c.1200, lawelese (see law + -less) Related: Lawlessly; lawlessness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper