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

• criminal
• anarchical
• rebellious
• anarchic
• illegal
• disorderly

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

This one is told in frantic style, edgeless and raw to the nubs, winding its way through lawless Colombian streetways. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025

The result is a society that feels both rule-bound and misruled, saturated with laws and yet strangely lawless. —Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025

What happened in Charlotte to Iryna Zarutska could happen to anyone in these lawless Democrat-run cities. —Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

Tren de Aragua originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. —Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025

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