as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
had a long history of using illicit drugs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of illicit
Within weeks, Shah was arrested on charges of murder and extortion; he had allegedly been involved in the same illicit business as Sheikh.
—
Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Over a dozen active-duty military members were also at the club during the raid, and federal officials said some were working at the illicit operation.
—Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
There was even an unfounded rumor that the plane had been carrying an illicit shipment of ether, which is what the conspiracy theorists surmised had caused the explosions and fires.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
Fentanyl is often mixed into other illicit drugs without the user's knowledge, and significantly increases the risk of accidental overdose as even tiny amounts can be lethal.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illicit
Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Over a dozen active-duty military members were also at the club during the raid, and federal officials said some were working at the illicit operation.
—Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
There was even an unfounded rumor that the plane had been carrying an illicit shipment of ether, which is what the conspiracy theorists surmised had caused the explosions and fires.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
Fentanyl is often mixed into other illicit drugs without the user's knowledge, and significantly increases the risk of accidental overdose as even tiny amounts can be lethal.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illicit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illicit
Adjective
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
That month, Drummond sued the board directly in the Oklahoma Supreme Court and asked it to rescind the charter contract and declare St. Isidore's establishment as a charter school unlawful.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Of note: Your Content must not be false, defamatory, misleading or hateful, or infringe any copyright or any other third-party rights or otherwise be unlawful.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Karen Read’s attorneys are taking an approach of highlighting inconsistencies in the testimony of witnesses involved in the case, according to Sydney Rushing, a criminal defense attorney based in Michigan offering analysis on TikTok.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The decision struck down a San Francisco court’s decision that said imposing criminal penalties on homeless encampments violated the Constitution, allowing states to ban people from sleeping and camping in public areas.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illicit. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share