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
Troopers also seized an unregistered gun and ammunition from Cook, who is charged with trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
—
Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Rachna Anwar, 46, and Munir Chaudhri, 62, face multiple felony charges, including corrupt organizations and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, according to a release from the Attorney General Sunday's office.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
But once those moratoriums ended in 2023, unlawful detainers (a type of notice that can lead to eviction) doubled from June 2022 to June 2023.
—Saumya Roy, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
Federal courts later concluded that the removal was unlawful and ordered the government to return him to the United States, finding that immigration officials had violated the terms of his withholding of removal and failed to follow required procedures.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
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Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Rachna Anwar, 46, and Munir Chaudhri, 62, face multiple felony charges, including corrupt organizations and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, according to a release from the Attorney General Sunday's office.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
But once those moratoriums ended in 2023, unlawful detainers (a type of notice that can lead to eviction) doubled from June 2022 to June 2023.
—Saumya Roy, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
Federal courts later concluded that the removal was unlawful and ordered the government to return him to the United States, finding that immigration officials had violated the terms of his withholding of removal and failed to follow required procedures.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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