unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 

1

: not lawful : illegal

2

: not morally right or conventional

unlawfully

ˌən-ˈlȯ-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

unlawfulness

ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• criminal
• felonious
• illegal
• illegitimate
• illicit
• lawless
• wrongful

Examples of unlawful in a Sentence

The sale of alcohol to minors is unlawful.

it is unlawful to set off fireworks within the city limits

Recent Examples on the Web

Federal workers, migrants and transgender troops are among the groups arguing that Trump’s policies are unlawful and will cause irreversible harm if not blocked. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

After a national labor union and student loan borrower advocacy group filed a legal challenge against the Trump administration arguing that the shutdown was unlawful, the department reopened IDR applications for ICR, PAYE, and IBR. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

In January, a federal appeals court declared DACA unlawful, but kept the policy in place. —Nidia Cavazos, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2025

Filed in federal court in Pensacola, Fla., the suit asks a judge to declare Trump’s Chinese tariffs unlawful and block their implementation. —Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unlawful

• awful
• lawful
• offal
• waffle

Kids Definition

unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 

ˈən-

: not lawful : being against the law : illegal

unlawfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

unlawfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun

Legal Definition

unlawful

adjective

un·​law·​ful

1

: not lawful : not authorized or justified by law

2

: acting contrary to or in defiance of the law

an unlawful possessor

unlawfully adverb

unlawfulness noun