illicit
adjective
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Illicit and Elicit
Illicit, while not exactly an everyday word, is far more common than its antonym, licit ("not forbidden by law, permissible"). Perhaps this is a function of our oft-noted fascination with bad behavior and boredom with rectitude. In any case, illicit may be used of behavior that is either unlawful or immoral. These categories frequently overlap, but they are not always synonymous, as some unlawful activities (illicit cigarette smoking) may not be considered immoral, while some immoral activities (an illicit affair) are not illegal. Illicit is occasionally confused with elicit because of the similarity in their pronunciations, but the two words have decidedly different meanings and functions: in contemporary English, elicit is a verb meaning "to get (a response, information, etc.) from someone," while illicit appears solely as an adjective.
Examples of illicit in a Sentence
David Ansen, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2002
"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said, bowing her head, just as she might in everyday, civilian life, and I felt suddenly illicit in her presence, as though we'd slipped out of sight of our chaperons …
—Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999
The companies that carry cellular … have adopted a number of monitoring techniques to detect illicit calls …
—Paul Wallich, Scientific American, March 1994
He was arrested for selling illicit copies of the software.
She had an illicit affair with her boss.
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
They were designated under a 2021 executive order targeting people involved in the proliferation of illicit drugs.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Dec. 2025
Based on the laboratory’s study, 7-OH — a drug that basically did not exist two years ago, and which is sold unregulated at gas stations and smoke shops — ranks third among illicit substances detected in workplace drug tests, behind marijuana and amphetamines.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illicit
Cite this Entry
“Illicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illicit. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.
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Legal Definition
illicit
adjective
In re Haas, 48 F.3d 1153 (1995)
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