as in criminality
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Recent Examples of illegality
While lower prices are welcome news for consumers, cannabis businesses have had difficulty making money due to high financing and operating costs, and an inability to take normal business tax deductions due to the drug’s illegality under federal law.
—
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Speaking out in that way is not illegality.
—ABC News, 18 Jan. 2026
Many of the administration’s actions rely on broad claims of illegality without providing specific violations.
—Spencer Overton, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
My uncles and cousins, all city or federal police officers, did not use political party affiliation as a basis for determining legality versus illegality.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026
So do expressions of concern and declarations of illegality by democratic countries.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
These works, among others, challenge visitors to consider how LA and São Paulo have criminalized their most vulnerable citizens but also demonstrate how Brazil’s discourse on social rights and illegality is unique.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Other clients retained attorneys and accountants, and those professionals also warned of the tax shelter's illegality.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
But most personnel already understand the duty to disobey obvious illegality—and reminding them of it nudges more of them toward lawful behavior when the stakes are at their most extreme.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Speaking out in that way is not illegality.
—ABC News, 18 Jan. 2026
Many of the administration’s actions rely on broad claims of illegality without providing specific violations.
—Spencer Overton, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
My uncles and cousins, all city or federal police officers, did not use political party affiliation as a basis for determining legality versus illegality.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026
So do expressions of concern and declarations of illegality by democratic countries.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
These works, among others, challenge visitors to consider how LA and São Paulo have criminalized their most vulnerable citizens but also demonstrate how Brazil’s discourse on social rights and illegality is unique.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Other clients retained attorneys and accountants, and those professionals also warned of the tax shelter's illegality.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
But most personnel already understand the duty to disobey obvious illegality—and reminding them of it nudges more of them toward lawful behavior when the stakes are at their most extreme.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegality
Noun
-
Durov was arrested in France in 2024 and charged with enabling various forms of criminality on his app.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Protesters held banners decrying criminality and calling for law and order.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But in a court-martial, a service member who argues that an order is unlawful has the burden of proving its unlawfulness.—
Joshua Kastenberg,
The Conversation,
16 Dec. 2025
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Many people at Harvard and elsewhere feared that the university would reach a deal with the Administration before Judge Burroughs’s decision, because that would have meant that no court would declare the unlawfulness of the Administration’s actions toward academic institutions.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
King, who is in his early fifties, is a former marine, a motivational speaker, and a mental-health and substance-abuse professional.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Payments will be based on severity and duration of the abuse, the level of cooperation with investigators and other factors, records show.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
However, using lawlessness, chaos and destruction to make a cultural point will forever remain a hallmark of 21st-century Democrats.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Spring break at Daytona Beach has once again descended into lawlessness.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Over the past decade, United States Attorney’s Offices in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia have charged dozens of individuals in corruption and fraud schemes involving college coaches, players and athletic department personnel.—
Robert L. Boone,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Four people were charged Tuesday in connection a federal corruption investigation that has ensnared NYC Councilmember Farah Louis and a nonprofit providing homeless services to the city.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year in our great nation and especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
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This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once-wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year, especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Rather, a lengthy process can be initiated to remove a member from office for gross neglect of duty, gross immorality, drunkenness, or other misconduct, the Ohio School Board Association stated.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Courteney Cox‘s dogged reporter/stand-in for media immorality Gale Weathers will naturally be on the scene once again, as well a host of recurring characters, fan favorites, and old faces from all six of the previous entries.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Illegality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegality. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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