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
The Sheriff’s Department has a troubled history in the Antelope Valley, where a two-year federal investigation found in 2013 that deputies had a pattern of using unreasonable force, harassing and intimidating people and making unlawful stops of Black and Latino residents.
—
Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Dangerous, unlawful border crossings, meanwhile, continue.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
The men involved cut the locks off railroad cars and cut holes in fences around the warehouses to gain unlawful access and carry out the crimes, according to the indictment.
—Nic F. Anderson, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Four counts in the indictment — official misconduct, making an unlawful proposition, public indecency and public nudity — are tied to that interaction.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Employee relations: Employers must assess their risk tolerance regarding unlawful activities in the workplace and consider the potential impact on employee morale and productivity.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
The deputy’s son was arrested Wednesday and charged with selling of a firearm to a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm on school property and grand theft of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
Their warning followed the Supreme Court’s decision to deem affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina unlawful.
—Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Five others have been charged, including: Lyndell Mays of Raytown and Dominic Miller of Kansas City, who have both been charged with one count of second-degree felony murder and unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Dangerous, unlawful border crossings, meanwhile, continue.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
The men involved cut the locks off railroad cars and cut holes in fences around the warehouses to gain unlawful access and carry out the crimes, according to the indictment.
—Nic F. Anderson, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Four counts in the indictment — official misconduct, making an unlawful proposition, public indecency and public nudity — are tied to that interaction.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Employee relations: Employers must assess their risk tolerance regarding unlawful activities in the workplace and consider the potential impact on employee morale and productivity.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
The deputy’s son was arrested Wednesday and charged with selling of a firearm to a minor, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm on school property and grand theft of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
Their warning followed the Supreme Court’s decision to deem affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina unlawful.
—Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Five others have been charged, including: Lyndell Mays of Raytown and Dominic Miller of Kansas City, who have both been charged with one count of second-degree felony murder and unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
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 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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