lawful

adjective

law·​ful ˈlȯ-fəl 

1

a

: being in harmony with the law

a lawful judgment

b

: constituted, authorized, or established by law : rightful

lawful institutions

2

: law-abiding

lawful citizens

lawfully

ˈlȯ-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

lawfulness

ˈlȯ-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• legal
• legit [slang]
• legitimate
• licit

Choose the Right Synonym for lawful

lawful, legal, legitimate, licit mean being in accordance with law.

lawful may apply to conformity with law of any sort (such as natural, divine, common, or canon).

the lawful sovereign

legal applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts.

legal residents of the state

legitimate may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards.

a perfectly legitimate question about taxes

licit applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law.

the licit use of drugs by doctors

Examples of lawful in a Sentence

a lawful search of the property

hunting is a lawful activity only if you have the proper license

Recent Examples on the Web

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, a Trump supporter, has nevertheless distanced himself from the six fake electors who face felony charges after trying to substitute themselves for the state’s lawful Biden electors four years ago. —Barton Gellman, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

People motivated to play detective will often find suspicious patterns in conduct that’s entirely lawful. —Justin Levitt, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024

Fair refers to lawful copyright of others’ works, such as for news reporting, parody or criticism. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 21 Oct. 2024

Between the lines: Salt Typhoon reportedly gained access to Verizon, AT&T and Lumen Technologies by exploiting systems used for lawful wiretapping, which are designed to comply with government surveillance requests. —Megan Morrone, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lawful

adjective

law·​ful ˈlȯ-fəl 

1

: permitted by law

lawful conduct

2

: recognized by law : rightful

the lawful owner

lawfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

lawfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun

Legal Definition

lawful

adjective

law·​ful

1

a

: being in harmony with the law

a lawful judgment

a lawful purpose

b

: constituted, authorized, or established by law

a lawful duty

2

: law-abiding

lawful citizens

lawfully adverb

lawfulness noun