unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed ˌən-ˈlī-sᵊn(t)st 

: not licensed: such as

a

: not authorized or permitted by a license

unlicensed merchandise

an unlicensed firearm

the unlicensed reproduction of books

b

: operating without a license

unlicensed vendors

an unlicensed electrician

unlicensed brokers

unlicensed drivers

Examples of unlicensed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Manuel Jose Lazzaro, 58, was arrested last week on a charge of unlicensed health care causing serious bodily injury, NBC 6 South Florida reported, citing authorities. —Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025

After years of targeting founders and developers of crypto infrastructure for allegedly operating unlicensed money services and violating U.S. sanctions, the Department of Justice is shifting its approach. —Andrea Tinianow, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025

According to court documents released on Wednesday (April 2), the 31-year-old woman visited Hoyos-Foronda’s unlicensed place of business on 35th Street near 20th Road in Ditmars-Steinway to have her implants removed around 1 p.m. on Friday. —Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Apr. 2025

New York City’s effort to snuff out unlicensed shops got a boost last week after a federal judge ruled that the closings were legal. —James Barron, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unlicensed

• licenced
• licensed

Medical Definition

unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed

variants or chiefly British unlicenced

-ˈlīs-ᵊn(t)st

: not licensed

especially, of a drug : not approved for use by the appropriate regulating authority (as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States)