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
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
Deputies arrested 21-year-old Keny Castaneda-Tellez on suspicion of identity theft, credit card theft, unlawful use of a credit card, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, along with child cruelty.
—
Tim Fang, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
Gregory pleaded guilty in September to unlawful imprisonment, which carries a sentence of five years and second-degree assault, a 10-year sentence, intimidating a participant in the legal process (five years), violation of a protective order (12 months) and menacing (90 days).
—Stephanie Kuzydym, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Nov. 2025
That same day, the child’s aunt, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, was arrested and charged with intentional cruelty to a child under the age of 19, risk of injury to a child and first-degree unlawful restraint.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Publicly available arrest records seen by Newsweek said Henderson faces two felony charges of disseminating surveillance imagery and unlawful surveillance.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
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Tim Fang, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
Gregory pleaded guilty in September to unlawful imprisonment, which carries a sentence of five years and second-degree assault, a 10-year sentence, intimidating a participant in the legal process (five years), violation of a protective order (12 months) and menacing (90 days).
—Stephanie Kuzydym, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Nov. 2025
That same day, the child’s aunt, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, was arrested and charged with intentional cruelty to a child under the age of 19, risk of injury to a child and first-degree unlawful restraint.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Publicly available arrest records seen by Newsweek said Henderson faces two felony charges of disseminating surveillance imagery and unlawful surveillance.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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