unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 
1
: not lawful : illegal
2
: not morally right or conventional
Synonyms
Examples of unlawful in a Sentence
The sale of alcohol to minors is unlawful.
it is unlawful to set off fireworks within the city limits
Recent Examples on the Web
Bank of America submitted an answer last year to the court and denied unfair, deceptive and unlawful practice of misleading customers.
—
Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2024
Britain’s Supreme Court declared the Rwanda policy unlawful in November.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2024
Cooper was found not guilty of assault in the second-degree unlawful administration of drugs.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Charges for those arrested at colleges across the country — including more than 100 people at Columbia University in New York City and more than 90 people at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles — typically include trespassing or unlawful assembly.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 25 Apr. 2024
On April 16, the suspect was arrested and booked into county jail on charges of unlawful use of a debit card and financial elder abuse by a caregiver, according to Jarosz.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
The unborn are considered human according to criminal law: Thirty-nine states recognize the unlawful killing of an unborn child as ...
—Fred De Miranda, National Review, 22 Apr. 2024
Brandon Clint Russell, a Florida man who helped found the group, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing an unregistered destructive device and for unlawful storage of explosive material.
—Sean Emery, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
In other words, by expanding the range of employment decisions that meet the threshold for unlawful discrimination, does the decision spell doom for employer diversity programs?
—Ming-Qi Chu, Fortune, 18 Apr. 2024
Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2024
Britain’s Supreme Court declared the Rwanda policy unlawful in November.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2024
Cooper was found not guilty of assault in the second-degree unlawful administration of drugs.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Charges for those arrested at colleges across the country — including more than 100 people at Columbia University in New York City and more than 90 people at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles — typically include trespassing or unlawful assembly.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 25 Apr. 2024
On April 16, the suspect was arrested and booked into county jail on charges of unlawful use of a debit card and financial elder abuse by a caregiver, according to Jarosz.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
The unborn are considered human according to criminal law: Thirty-nine states recognize the unlawful killing of an unborn child as ...
—Fred De Miranda, National Review, 22 Apr. 2024
Brandon Clint Russell, a Florida man who helped found the group, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing an unregistered destructive device and for unlawful storage of explosive material.
—Sean Emery, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2024
In other words, by expanding the range of employment decisions that meet the threshold for unlawful discrimination, does the decision spell doom for employer diversity programs?
—Ming-Qi Chu, Fortune, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unlawful.' 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 unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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