unlicensed
Americanadjective
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having no license.
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done or undertaken without license or permission; unauthorized.
-
unrestrained; unbridled.
adjective
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having no licence
an unlicensed restaurant
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without permission; unauthorized
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unrestrained or lawless
Etymology
Origin of unlicensed
First recorded in 1600–10; un- 1 + license ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
When something is unlicensed, it has no license, i.e., no official government approval. If a restaurant doesn't have a liquor license but serves wine anyway, it's an unlicensed sale of that beverage. You will hear the word unlicensed most often involving illegally-possessed firearms. Murders are often committed with unlicensed guns, meaning that the killer purchased the gun without a license, most likely from a shady dealer.
Vocabulary lists containing unlicensed
100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
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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.
In 2024, a pair of unlicensed animals were found already living at Little Sea lake at the very spot picked for the official release.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
“Prediction markets, to the extent they facilitate unlicensed gambling, are illegal in Nevada, and we have a statutory duty to protect the public.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
Nvidia’s advanced AI chips were placed under U.S. export controls by the Biden administration in October 2022, thereby restricting unlicensed sales to companies in China.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026
The remaining counts allege Kalshi operated an unlicensed sports wagering business, accepting bets as small as $1 on NFL, NBA, college basketball and Super Bowl matchups.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
City officials asked a state court to ban the car pool, claiming it was an unlicensed transportation system.
From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose
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.
