unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 
1
: not lawful : illegal
2
: not morally right or conventional
Synonyms
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
Equally important is the distinction between uncensored and unlawful.
—
Scott Galbraith, Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2024
In December 2023, Harry emerged victorious in his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
The Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Monday that Gary Cowell, 72, of Patchogue, was indicted for unlawful concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence for allegedly dismembering the corpse of a 56-year-old woman from Patchogue.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 9 July 2024
Court records show in April 2023 that Garvey was issued 5 years of probation after pleading guilty to a felony — an unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree.
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 8 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful 
Scott Galbraith, Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2024
In December 2023, Harry emerged victorious in his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
The Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Monday that Gary Cowell, 72, of Patchogue, was indicted for unlawful concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence for allegedly dismembering the corpse of a 56-year-old woman from Patchogue.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 9 July 2024
Court records show in April 2023 that Garvey was issued 5 years of probation after pleading guilty to a felony — an unlawful transaction with a minor in the second degree.
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 8 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unlawful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share