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

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas this week vowed to crack down on unlicensed businesses after a weekend mass shooting injured nine people at an unregulated club on Troost Avenue. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026

On the morning of the incident, Gheblehshenas had gone to another unlicensed daycare located at her daughter's home, leaving four children at Happy Happy Daycare under the sole supervision of Fathizadeh, prosecutors said. —CBS News, 8 June 2026

The Illinois law would end unlicensed hemp sales in either case. —Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

For institutional balance sheets, an unlicensed or nonauditable data feed can be a nonstarter, hindering adoption. —Mike Cahill, Forbes.com, 18 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)