1
as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
the lawless rioters were destroying everything in sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
1
as in anarchy
a state in which there is widespread wrongdoing and disregard for rules and authority
the western frontier was notorious for its lawlessness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crime
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state
lawlessness in the city had reached an unconscionable and intolerable level
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lawless
Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone last decade.
—Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Indeed, Americans have historically rejected lawless behavior and, indeed, so have the law breakers some are pointing to.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Indeed, Americans have historically rejected lawless behavior and, indeed, so have the law breakers some are pointing to.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawless
Adjective
Trump's lawless Alien Enemies Act declaration cannot stand.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone last decade.
—Elliot Spagat, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Indeed, Americans have historically rejected lawless behavior and, indeed, so have the law breakers some are pointing to.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Indeed, Americans have historically rejected lawless behavior and, indeed, so have the law breakers some are pointing to.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawless
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
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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
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
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
Noun
-
Democracy, under the sway of lies, becomes a form of anarchy.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Review: 'The White Lotus' Season 3 is on the edge of anarchy Anitta's viewing taste for the silver screen provides similar food for thought.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
To conceal his crimes, Hemphill, who is also a lawyer, threatened to have the women arrested or killed by falsely claiming to have vast resources and connections to police and organized crime, prosecutors said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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The survivor advocacy group wants abusive clergy — and church leaders who’ve covered up their crimes — to be ejected from the ministry.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2025
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
Noun
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Police also told the site that Trachtenberg died of natural causes and that criminality was not suspected in her death.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
17 Apr. 2025
-
At the time of her death, police said criminality was not suspected.—
Kierra Frazier,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Lesser powers that find themselves under the dominion of a great power against their wishes can be resentful and rebellious.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
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In 1978, an ambitious and rebellious young woman, Marina Bulgari, decamped from her family business to branch out with her own jewelry brand.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The proximity, combined with the abundance of recreational boats, makes illicit travel hard to detect, Brown explained.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Psilocybin use in 2023 among adults was higher than estimates for cocaine, illicit opioid use, methamphetamine or LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lawless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawless. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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