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

His life was also threatened by armed gangs in the lawless Darien Gap in Central America, jail in Panama and a polar bear in Siberia. — Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

This past March, the mayor rescinded the NYPD’s ability to issue criminal summons to lawless e-bike riders. — Frank Morano, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026

Oil drilling began in the Bayou in the 1920s, a time of lawless extraction, and for decades, companies would simply dump their wastewater into large, unlined pits, allowing the fluid to seep into the ground. — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026

And there is still a hypothetical risk, election experts say, that the President could do something new and outlandishly lawless on or close to Election Day. — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 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