lawless

adjective

ˈlȯ-ləs How to pronounce lawless (audio)
Definition of lawlessnext
1
as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority the lawless rioters were destroying everything in sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law the level of lawless activity in the territory had reached the point where the authorities felt compelled to act

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 lawless Still, these are highly watchable actors, and as a movie to have on in the background while making dinner, Animals — so named for the lawless beast inside all of us, not that there’s much traction in that theme — will play just fine on Netflix. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 High in California’s eastern Sierra, the road into Bodie State Historic Park winds past a lonely cemetery and into what was once a lawless mining town of around 10,000 people and nearly 60 saloons. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The concept of a lawless military felt familiar for the cast. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026 Besides, though the presence of armed vigilantes helped many in town feel safer, the fact remained that much of Michoacán was still lawless. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lawless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawless
  1. criminal
  2. unlawful
  3. rebellious
  4. illicit
  5. anarchic
  6. felonious
  7. disorderly
Adjective
  • Also Sunday, prosecutors ordered a 48-hour detention of Marko Kricak, Vucic's chief of criminal police.
    — MARKO DROBNJAKOVIC, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Linn County prosecutors did not file criminal charges, but the church would not allow Moore to work with children, youth and vulnerable adults.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • Chrinos was charged with carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms and three counts of unregistered ammunition, DHS said.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The department also wants to strengthen corporate oversight and deter unlawful applications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • With its choppy layers, tousled texture, and extra length at the nape, this wolf cut brought a rebellious twist to her usual regal aesthetic.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The selection also features Dutch director Sabine Lubbe Bakker’s Premier Souffle, exploring whether a rebellious outsider can find her place in the world after years of isolation from her community.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • The panel is like a scene sculpted in marble commemorating obsessive and illicit love; in such instances, the loss of the object of desire feels like an amputation, because the unobtainable lover is an extension and part of oneself.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The probe could mark the start of a tougher response to illicit operators occupying sites, following years of complaints from some of the world’s biggest mining companies.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • But while our online worlds have since expanded, the real-world space for anarchic creativity has shrunk.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The poet, Pavese implies, is a creature of Chaos—that anarchic state in which good is mixed with bad and monsters mingle with men and gods.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of anarchic
Adjective
  • Asia has been charged with six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence, according to online court records obtained by PEOPLE.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Jones did not enter a plea on Thursday to multiple counts of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of felonious
Adjective
  • Michael Knight is charged with making a false report about a bomb and disorderly intoxication.
    — Bri Buckley, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The drunk-and-disorderly charge is linked to a December incident, in which Minton is accused of shouting and cursing at patrons of a tattoo studio in Hickory, court records show.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of disorderly

Browse Nearby Words

lawgivers
lawless
lawlessness
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Cite this Entry

“Lawless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawless. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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