lawless

adjective

law·​less ˈlȯ-ləs 

1

: not regulated by or based on law

2

a

: not restrained or controlled by law : unruly

b

: illegal

lawlessly adverb

lawlessness noun

Synonyms of lawless

• criminal
• rebellious
• anarchic
• illegal
• disorderly
• illicit

Examples of lawless in a Sentence

the lawless society of the frontier

the lawless rioters were destroying everything in sight

Recent Examples on the Web

At the beginning of the siege, Ihor became a volunteer policeman, tasked with keeping order in a city that was becoming more lawless by the day. —James Verini, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026

Its cruel and even lawless excesses have reverberated around the globe. —Kansas City Star, 9 May 2026

The crypto super PACs leveraged that strategy to flip crypto policy in America in one election cycle from imperfect but sensible to essentially lawless. —Lawrence Lessig, Time, 30 Apr. 2026

Chytilová mirrors her characters’ lawless nature through the film’s avant-garde construction, making the form as unruly as its subjects. —Jennifer Noyes, Air Mail, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lawless

• aulus
• flawless
• solace
• squalus

Kids Definition

lawless

adjective

law·​less ˈlȯ-ləs 

1

: not based on or regulated by law

the lawless society of the frontier

2

: not controlled by law : unruly, disorderly

lawless mob

lawlessly adverb

lawlessness noun

Legal Definition

lawless

adjective

law·​less

1

: not restrained or controlled by law

2

: illegal

a lawless act

lawlessly adverb

lawlessness noun