lawlessness

[law-lis-nis]

noun

1. the quality or condition of being without regard for the law; behavior that is contrary to or shows indifference to the law.

   Unfortunately, a lot of confusion, lawlessness, stupidity, and even death surrounds alcohol use in college settings.

2. the state or condition of being without law or law enforcement to provide control or restraint.

   For several months, the emerging nation looked as if it would slip into lawlessness and civil war.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lawlessness¹

First recorded in 1585–95; lawless ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Last month, as part of a "clean-up" campaign across Johannesburg, the city council said the inner city had been "targeted... for the systemic removal of pervasive lawlessness, illegal activities, hijacked properties, and critical by-law infringements".

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Here’s your culture of corruption come to life: If Mr. Homan can be credibly accused of accepting an alleged bribe with impunity, where might the lawlessness stretch next?

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It isn’t able to hold territory, but it is contributing to a sense of lawlessness that’s adding to the stress on the new state.

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There have been a number of hopeful signs that the City by the Bay has begun to turn the page on its recent era of progressive lawlessness, but urban revival takes time.

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The execution - which BBC Verify geolocated to a junction in central Gaza City - follows Hamas's pledge to crush "lawlessness" in the Strip.

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Related Words

• chaos 
• confusion 
• disorder 
• terrorism