illegal

adjective

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈlē-gəl How to pronounce illegal (audio)
Definition of illegalnext
1
as in unlawful
contrary to or forbidden by law it is illegal to import those birds into this country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport an illegal pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegal
  1. unlawful
  2. foul
  3. illicit
  4. unfair
  5. criminal
  6. nasty
Adjective
  • The 15-year-old is being held on suspicion of three counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 28 July 2026
  • California Secretary of State Shirley Weber voiced support for the bill in a statement and said the nation’s elections must remain free from intimidation and unlawful interference from any source.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • Over these six weeks, the standard of on-field refereeing was predictably unpredictable, given the wide range of views that exist in different countries on what constitutes a foul, caution or red card.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Joey Bart followed by lining a ball that whizzed over third base and then skidded in foul territory to the base of a wall that juts perpendicular to the infield.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Anthropic, which is valued at close to $1 trillion and has aspirations of going public in the near future, said stopping illicit distillation was a matter of national security.
    — Kif Leswing,Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 25 July 2026
  • Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said improving visibility will help curtail illicit activity and will also make riders feel safer about sitting inside the shelters.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • In the suit, WBD accuses Amazon of intentional interference with contractual relations; inducing breach of contract; intentional interference with prospective economic advantage; and unfair competition in violation of California law.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • If a judge found that Mora broke his agreement with the company, then a jury trial on the other issues of fraudulent misrepresentation, unfair business practices and breach of fiduciary duty may not be necessary, Mora said.
    — Robert Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of unfair
Adjective
  • He had not been involved in a criminal case before in the county, King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney said.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 28 July 2026
  • Now, the community is about to enter what could be the final chapter in the criminal cases stemming from the state’s deadliest school shooting.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Katherine MacGregor Katherine MacGregor played nasty gossip Harriet Oleson on the show.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
  • And with peak travel season underway, millions of people may have to contend with this disorienting condition, which can cause sleep disturbances, daytime tiredness, headaches and nasty gastrointestinal symptoms.
    — Laura Ungar, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
Definition of nasty
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

ill-bred
illegal
illegalities
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illegal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegal. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on illegal

Nglish: Translation of illegal for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All