1
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
it is unlawful to set off fireworks within the city limits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
a sympathetic look at the unlawful love between a married physician and an adoring colleague
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unlawful
Bortlen, whose real name is Cortlen Henry, pleaded no contest to one count of tampering with a witness, two counts of being an accessory to a capital felony, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
—
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 10 Sep. 2025
In 2020, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, one an assault charge and the other a battery charge, involving threats to commit violence and unlawful use of force or violence, court records show.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 10 Sep. 2025
Trump asked the Supreme Court to take up the tariff dispute last week, filing a petition for the court to hear the case on an expedited basis after the Federal Circuit ruled the tariffs are unlawful.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Bortlen pleaded no contest to one count of tampering with a witness, two counts of being an accessory to a capital felony, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 10 Sep. 2025
In 2020, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, one an assault charge and the other a battery charge, involving threats to commit violence and unlawful use of force or violence, court records show.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 10 Sep. 2025
Trump asked the Supreme Court to take up the tariff dispute last week, filing a petition for the court to hear the case on an expedited basis after the Federal Circuit ruled the tariffs are unlawful.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Bortlen pleaded no contest to one count of tampering with a witness, two counts of being an accessory to a capital felony, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlawful
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
Adjective
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Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
7 Sep. 2025
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Even the paper’s biggest triumph—which, without giving too much away, brings it into direct conflict with its toilet-paper stablemate—involves a farcically immoral compromise that tramples the church-state divide between news and product sales (and, worse, isn’t all that funny).—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Whelchel pointed to a series of text exchanges between Alam and his friends that appeared to paint Alam as a frequent user of illicit drugs like mushrooms and extacy.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
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North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges for helping to arrange the illicit sale of weapons to Iran and divert the proceeds to fund a secret war against anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The inexcusable, evil acts of an individual.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
-
He and his followers were locked in a battle with an enemy that was not just ideologically opposed but unwell, possibly evil.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Britain's biggest anti-immigrant political party, Reform UK, which has topped opinion polls in recent months, has kept its distance from Robinson, who has several criminal convictions.—
Vitalii Yalahuzian,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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At least 25 people were arrested in offenses including violent disorder, assaults and criminal damage, and the investigation continues, police said.—
BRIAN MELLEY,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In an important variation, medieval soldiers returning from war regularly spent an extended period of penance in monasteries – a recognition of Catholicism’s teaching that any war is inherently sinful.—
Timothy Gabrielli,
The Conversation,
25 Aug. 2025
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Don’t dream of leaving without ordering a gigantic slice of the coconut cake with cream cheese frosting—sinful and certainly comforting.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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As and when evidence against that narrative comes out, either via six monthly reports or from some other source, the crash in the stock price will be more vicious than otherwise.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The lingering effects of an incident so vile occurring within Burning man’s sweet bubble are bound to affect people for a long time.—
Denver Nicks,
Rolling Stone,
14 Sep. 2025
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This vile, heartless remark is completely unacceptable—especially from someone entrusted with our children.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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