unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 

1

a

: not lawful : illegal

unlawful actions

b

: acting contrary to or in defiance of the law

an unlawful possessor

2

: not morally right or conventional

unlawfully

ˌən-ˈlȯ-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

unlawfulness

ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of unlawful

• illegal
• illicit
• criminal

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

Penalties for unlawful possession of firearms in Thailand include prison terms from 1 to 10 years and fines of up to 20,000 baht ($600). — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Paxton also urged the medical centers to provide life-saving care and reject any unlawful transfer of the baby out of state. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Three out of every four arrest was for unlawful assembly, while 16 arrests were made for violent crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer or attempted murder of a police officer. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026

Carmen Lo, 26, was sentenced to five years of probation for the unlawful use of a two-way communication device. — Larry Seward, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unlawful

• awful
• lawful
• offal
• waffle

Kids Definition

unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 

ˈən-

: not lawful : being against the law : illegal

unlawfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

unlawfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun

Legal Definition

unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful

1

: not lawful : not authorized or justified by law

2

: acting contrary to or in defiance of the law

an unlawful possessor

unlawfully adverb

unlawfulness noun