unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed ˌən-ˈlī-sᵊn(t)st 

: not licensed: such as

a

: not authorized or permitted by a license

unlicensed merchandise

an unlicensed firearm

the unlicensed reproduction of books

b

: operating without a license

unlicensed vendors

an unlicensed electrician

unlicensed brokers

unlicensed drivers

Examples of unlicensed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Los Angelenos will decide whether the city taxes unlicensed cannabis businesses through Proposition CB. —Paris Barraza, USA Today, 6 May 2026

Pet cremation scam Yalanda and Rodney Ward owned the unlicensed pet crematorium in Catonsville and collected about $13,000 from the victims, according to court documents. —Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 6 May 2026

The department said the checkpoint focused on impaired drivers and also targeted unlicensed drivers. —Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026

This reform could include unlicensed electricians working on repair projects or plumbers without licenses doing lower risk jobs independently. —Maxwell Harden, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unlicensed

• licenced
• licensed

Medical Definition

unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed

variants or chiefly British unlicenced

-ˈlīs-ᵊn(t)st

: not licensed

especially, of a drug : not approved for use by the appropriate regulating authority (as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States)