1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
2
a
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
b
: a person or organization under a ban or restriction
c
: one that is unconventional or rebellious
3
: an animal (such as a horse) that is wild and unmanageable
outlaw
adjective
outlawed; outlawing; outlaws
1
a
: to deprive of the benefit and protection of law : declare to be an outlaw
b
: to make illegal
outlawed dueling
2
: to place under a ban or restriction
3
: to remove from legal jurisdiction or enforcement
Synonyms
Examples of outlaw in a Sentence
Noun
Billy the Kid was one of the most famous outlaws of America's early history.
Verb
That type of gun was outlawed last year.
The government passed a bill outlawing the hiring of children under the age of 12.
Recent Examples on the Web
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
Just after lunch, Baldwin and Hutchins were rehearsing a scene that was meant to be a camera close-up of Baldwin — who was playing a hardened outlaw, Harland Rust — slowly pulling his Colt .45 revolver from his shoulder holster while sitting in a pew in a rustic church.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Depending upon your point of reference, most people know Terry Allen as the west Texas musician behind the conceptual outlaw country albums Juarez and Lubbock, or as the polymath multimedia artist who attended the Chouinard Art Institute and palled around with the Cool School.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
The refuse, fastidiously — almost lyrically — arranged, took on the quiet charisma of a disgraced outlaw.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024
The 2023 show, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, recounts the previously untold story of legendary United States marshal Bass Reeves (played by David Oyelowo), who brought over 3,000 outlaws to justice during his 30-year career.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
Both are cheerfully anachronistic comedies about 18th century Englishmen fleeing conventional society to turn outlaw.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Baldwin’s character was about to engage in a shootout with two actors portraying lawmen who were storming the church to nab Baldwin, who was playing a hardened outlaw named Harland Rust.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Blanchett leads an all-star ensemble cast in the movie adaptation of the video game series, playing Lilith, an outlaw who reluctantly returns to her home planet to find the missing daughter of a powerful weapons manufacturer.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Amarachi Orie, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Memorial, a human rights organization outlawed in Russia, has rented offices to update its list of Russian political prisoners.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The kind outlawed in the United States by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
Slavery as a relic of the 19th Century.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Indeed, a growing number of experts believe the rise of telehealth could explain why abortions jumped in the wake of the Dobbs decision, even as 21 states have partially or completely outlawed the procedure.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The Volstead gets its name from the 1920 Volstead Act, better known as the National Prohibition Act, which outlawed selling and manufacturing alcoholic beverages in the U.S.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
The film follows the lengths that women in Europe must go to access medical procedures that are outlawed in their own countries.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024
The King County, Washington sheriff has directed her deputies to not enforce a City of Burien order outlawing homeless encampments within 500 feet of locations like schools and parks until the constitutionality of the order was resolved, without telling city officials.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2024
Slavery is outlawed in 1865, emancipating 4 million Black men, women and children.
—Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024
Noun
The would-be comedian, faced with the prospect of becoming an outlaw, invents something called anti-comedy, and rents a warehouse to stage and perform it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
Just after lunch, Baldwin and Hutchins were rehearsing a scene that was meant to be a camera close-up of Baldwin — who was playing a hardened outlaw, Harland Rust — slowly pulling his Colt .45 revolver from his shoulder holster while sitting in a pew in a rustic church.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Depending upon your point of reference, most people know Terry Allen as the west Texas musician behind the conceptual outlaw country albums Juarez and Lubbock, or as the polymath multimedia artist who attended the Chouinard Art Institute and palled around with the Cool School.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
The refuse, fastidiously — almost lyrically — arranged, took on the quiet charisma of a disgraced outlaw.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024
The 2023 show, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, recounts the previously untold story of legendary United States marshal Bass Reeves (played by David Oyelowo), who brought over 3,000 outlaws to justice during his 30-year career.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
Both are cheerfully anachronistic comedies about 18th century Englishmen fleeing conventional society to turn outlaw.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024
Baldwin’s character was about to engage in a shootout with two actors portraying lawmen who were storming the church to nab Baldwin, who was playing a hardened outlaw named Harland Rust.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Blanchett leads an all-star ensemble cast in the movie adaptation of the video game series, playing Lilith, an outlaw who reluctantly returns to her home planet to find the missing daughter of a powerful weapons manufacturer.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
Goats aside, the island is also known for its local LSD bread, which was outlawed in the 1950s, and is a popular tourist stop for sail boats and volcano aficionados, who can see nearby Stromboli’s constant eruptions.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Memorial, a human rights organization outlawed in Russia, has rented offices to update its list of Russian political prisoners.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The kind outlawed in the United States by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
Slavery as a relic of the 19th Century.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Indeed, a growing number of experts believe the rise of telehealth could explain why abortions jumped in the wake of the Dobbs decision, even as 21 states have partially or completely outlawed the procedure.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The Volstead gets its name from the 1920 Volstead Act, better known as the National Prohibition Act, which outlawed selling and manufacturing alcoholic beverages in the U.S.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
The film follows the lengths that women in Europe must go to access medical procedures that are outlawed in their own countries.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024
The King County, Washington sheriff has directed her deputies to not enforce a City of Burien order outlawing homeless encampments within 500 feet of locations like schools and parks until the constitutionality of the order was resolved, without telling city officials.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2024
Slavery is outlawed in 1865, emancipating 4 million Black men, women and children.
—Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outlaw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near outlaw
Cite this Entry
“Outlaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlaw. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ 
1
: a person who is not given the protection of the law
2
: a lawless person or one who is running away from the law
3
: an animal (as a horse) that is wild and hard to control
outlaw
adjective
outlaw
2 of 2 verb1
: to deprive of the protection of law
2
: to make illegal
dueling was outlawed
Legal Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ
1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
a trespasser is not an outlaw
2
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
3
: a person or organization (as a nation) under a ban or restriction or considered to be in defiance of norms or laws
considered an outlaw for its support of terrorism
Etymology
Noun
Old English ūtlaga, from Old Norse ūtlagi, from ūt out + lag lǫg law
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