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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

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 unlawful He was arraigned on seven counts of photographing a person in a state of nudity without consent, two counts of unlawful wiretap and destruction of property, officials said. Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025 Violations would constitute a deceptive trade practice, and affected individuals could also pursue claims under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act if the AI interaction results in unlawful bias. Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Instead, advocates say those who are not in shelter are being pushed farther and farther away from services in an attempt to escape unlawful camping citations. Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 15 Aug. 2025 Drake Solomon accuses his former employer of disability discrimination and an unlawful severance offer. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 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
  • This country already has very limited ability to stop the Republicans’ attempt to end democracy in the United States mostly due to their immoral actions on the Supreme Court nominations of Obama and Biden.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Rudy flames out on his first day, though, and ends up working for a shady lawyer named Bruiser (Lana Parrilla) and her gleefully immoral paralegal Deck (P.J. Byrne).
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The boxer, a son of legendary fighter Julio César Chávez, had a warrant for his arrest in Mexico in connection with allegedly dealing arms, distributing illicit drugs and having cartel ties.
    Darnell Mayberry, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
  • In the first three-plus months of the new administration, Coast Guard personnel detained more than 860 aliens and stopped as much illicit cocaine as was interdicted at sea during fiscal 2024, Adm. Kevin E. Lunday told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on May 14.
    Gidget Fuentes, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As these evil forces encroach, the pup finds the courage to protect his owner and territory.
    Connor Merrihew, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Somehow the lucky, evil, nefarious Wordle Bot guessed in just two today!
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The lawsuit and criminal case have now both ostensibly been resolved.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
  • But a Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times analysis found that hundreds of immigrant detainees sent to the site had no criminal convictions or pending charges in the United States.
    Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Growing up in rural Tennessee, my grandfather learned that certain activities — card playing, smoking, imbibing — were sinful.
    Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2025
Adjective
  • If Hill is still an elite player, and tight end Darren Waller can produce half the production Jonnu Smith gave the Dolphins last year, the passing game will have a vicious bite.
    Omar Kelly August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The unique stipulation is the direct result of King's recent, vicious actions against his rival, Myles Borne.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Jacob called his father prior to his death, and the worried dad overheard Donald shouting vile insults at his son, said prosecutors.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Ed and Lorraine had contact with the most vile and evil entities tied to those objects.
    Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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