adjective
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illegal
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illicit; immoral
unlawful love
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an archaic word for illegitimate
Related Words
See illegal.
Other Word Forms
- unlawfully adverb
- unlawfulness noun
Etymology
Origin of unlawful
First recorded in 1250–1300, unlawful is from the Middle English word unlaweful. See un- 1, lawful
Compare meaning
How does unlawful compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
It might feel as though we're back in familiar territory - the Duke of Sussex about to make claims in a London court alleging that newspapers used unlawful methods to gather information.
From BBC
The latest order halts the use of a weapon, recognizable by its neon green handle, that has been used by police during recent protests to clear crowds after demonstrations were declared unlawful.
From Los Angeles Times
Chief Brian O’Hara of the Minneapolis police, said the protesters were “engaging in unlawful acts.”
From Salon
“But it also means that some petitioners, like Khalil, will have to wait to seek relief for allegedly unlawful government conduct.”
They had argued the prosecutions were unlawful because they had not been brought by a qualified legal professional.
From BBC
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.
