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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unlawful
Sullivan was charged with assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree, according to officials at the Waterbury Police Department.
—
Sean Neumann, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Harvard University’s lawyers responded on Monday to the Trump administration’s letter demanding a series of policy changes, saying the demands were unlawful and that Harvard would not comply.
—New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
An April 9 Presidential Memorandum on Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations orders agency heads to identify existing regulations that are facially unlawful.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Sean Neumann, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Harvard University’s lawyers responded on Monday to the Trump administration’s letter demanding a series of policy changes, saying the demands were unlawful and that Harvard would not comply.
—New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
An April 9 Presidential Memorandum on Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations orders agency heads to identify existing regulations that are facially unlawful.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlawful
Adjective
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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
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
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Regardless of what transpired between the two cast members, on or off screen, Aspen was unfairly portrayed as an immoral character.—
Taylor Crumpton,
Essence,
11 Apr. 2025
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We are limited to enforcing the law, not policing immoral behavior.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The proximity, combined with the abundance of recreational boats, makes illicit travel hard to detect, Brown explained.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Psilocybin use in 2023 among adults was higher than estimates for cocaine, illicit opioid use, methamphetamine or LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At the time of Vallow's death, Vallow Daybell was espousing the belief that he was possessed by an evil spirit, the prosecution said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2025
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Last season, there was an episode that featured an evil streaming executive — who dressed like, kind of looked like and whose name even sounded like Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief creative officer and your boss.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The criminal search warrant centered on Old McDonald's Farm, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to NPR.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2025
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Officers have recently been rejecting noncitizens whose posts suggested criticism of the United States or Israel, but not necessarily criminal activity.—
Albert Sun,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Driven by a religious mandate to purify society by stopping sinful behavior, the AFMRS’s missionaries provided direct outreach to low-income areas.—
Jenna Deep,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
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Here's the list of least-to-most sinful states, according to WalletHub: TRAVELERS FLOCK TO TOP RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS DEEMED 'MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE' (iStock) 50.—
Andrea Margolis,
Fox News,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This was a vicious weaponization of your government.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Employees losing jobs because companies will lay off workers to off-set the expense of tariffs will also mean fewer customers buying goods and services, creating a vicious cycle that depresses both corporate revenues and economic growth.—
Solange Charas,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The imitation Punisher logo on Cole’s bullet was no act of flattery, but the most vile of insults.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2025
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Fans, some of them little kids parroting what their parents were saying, called him vile names.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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