adjective
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illegal
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illicit; immoral
unlawful love
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an archaic word for illegitimate
Synonym Usage
See illegal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unlawful
First recorded in 1250–1300, unlawful is from the Middle English word unlaweful. See un- 1, lawful
Compare meaning
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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.
She called the behavior “clearly unlawful, dangerous, and degrading of our collective quality of life in New York City.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The suit alleges public nuisance and unlawful business practices among the claims.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Not only are we protecting our physical borders from unlawful crossings, but we are also preventing immigration fraud schemes that are just another way to skirt the immigration laws of the United States," Blanche said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The repayments follow a major Supreme Court decision in February, in which judges ruled that broad import tariffs introduced under economic powers were unlawful.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Under the regulations, a federally funded law enforcement program or activity is unlawful if it has a racially discriminatory impact and if that impact cannot be justified by law enforcement necessity.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
