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

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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
  • Legal experts say such a move would probably be swiftly blocked by courts, as would any unlawful deployment of military troops to polls.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The suit alleges that Paramount’s unlawful termination has caused him some $4 million in economic damages.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • Goalkeepers tend to be the most knowledgeable, and most players have a good understanding of the fundamentals, but a routine question about what constitutes a foul throw usually produces an incredibly high number of incorrect answers.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Tatis never got past second base, as Skenes struck out Jake Cronenworth, got a pop-up to the left side of the infield, and Ty France to pop up in foul territory on the right side.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • China’s industrial overcapacity has lowered the costs of building and operating illicit enterprises.
    — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Then again, maybe in Kawhi’s case, even illicit payments are load-managed.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • Copyright, trade secrets, malpractice—none of it was written for this, and stretching it will only lead to unfair results.
    — Hamid Kohan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Under federal debt collection rules, debt collectors generally can't harass you, make false or misleading representations or use unfair practices to collect a debt.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unfair
Adjective
  • Erdogan has called Netanyahu a war criminal and repeatedly accused Israel of atrocities in Gaza; Netanyahu has accused Erdogan of supporting Hamas.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a question usually put to criminal defendants and key players in a scandal, not the District Attorney’s office itself.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Minneola City Councilman David Yeager’s efforts to annex his new home into the city earlier this summer sparked a nasty debate on the council that led to two members being censured last week for incivility.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Working with a nasty four-pitch mix, Bradley struck out six over four innings before achieving the feat in the fifth.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 26 Aug. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Illegal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegal. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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