1
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
it is unlawful to set off fireworks within the city limits
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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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Recent Examples of unlawful
He was charged on Sept. 20 with one count of first-degree kidnapping, one count of second-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary, authorities said.
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Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
Moldova’s government has demanded that the troops leave, saying their presence is an unlawful breach of its sovereignty.
—Byandra Timu, Fortune Europe, 4 Nov. 2024
While Republicans have made false claims about noncitizens voting in the November election, in practice noncitizen voting is extremely rare, with one study finding only 0.0001% of ballots cast in 2016 across 12 states were unlawful votes by noncitizens.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Heather’s parents, David and Bobbi Jo Baynard, were convicted of murder, felony child abuse and unlawful neglect of a child and sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge and a subsequent 30 years for the other two counts, the outlets report.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful 
Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
Moldova’s government has demanded that the troops leave, saying their presence is an unlawful breach of its sovereignty.
—Byandra Timu, Fortune Europe, 4 Nov. 2024
While Republicans have made false claims about noncitizens voting in the November election, in practice noncitizen voting is extremely rare, with one study finding only 0.0001% of ballots cast in 2016 across 12 states were unlawful votes by noncitizens.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Heather’s parents, David and Bobbi Jo Baynard, were convicted of murder, felony child abuse and unlawful neglect of a child and sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge and a subsequent 30 years for the other two counts, the outlets report.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlawful
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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This term was derived from bawd, which referred to someone who encouraged immoral or promiscuous behavior, particularly a procuress or pimp.Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
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Some senior officers mistakenly believe that the military is obligated to resist orders that are unethical or immoral.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Patients who obtain abortions for themselves are not liable under civil or criminal statutes, but anyone who aids or abets illicit terminations of pregnancy can be targeted under several laws.Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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The illicit drug market is incredibly flexible and resilient.Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The story of a farmer tasked with protecting a magic baby from an evil queen is not exactly the most original story in the world, but that hasn’t stopped this from becoming a classic, with Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood and Val Kilmer waving a sword around.Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
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The plot centers on Scott Pilgrim, a Canadian indie rock slacker who falls in love with a girl named Ramona Flowers and then has to fight her seven evil exes in video game-style battles.Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Officers conducting a preliminary investigation reviewed messages the student had left on Discord, an online chatting app used by gamers and others, and arrested the student on suspicion of making criminal threats.Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Those schools were, according to former pupils, hotbeds of cruelty and child abuse — an independent investigation in 2005 found evidence of criminal assault at the boys’ school in the 1970s and ’80s — as well as highly traditionalist values.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Building a lexicon around shame creates an easy dichotomy − one that separates foods, and our desire for them, into good and bad, sinful and pure, moral and amoral.Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024
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To the media and many public observers, the tragedy cemented the architect’s sinful character.Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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That forces him to descend the 8,000-foot-and-higher safety zone of the Rocky Mountains, and into the lower-elevation danger zone where vicious monsters roam free.John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
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Scott, the old pro, knows how to give these scenes a vicious vitality that overcomes any thoughts about how the Romans supposedly got live sharks in the water.Alison Willmore, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This was one of the vilest crimes committed by the American government against its own people.Chloe Iris Kennedy, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Soccer fans are, for the most part, liberal and cosmopolitan in the U.S., so Lalas’ conservatism has led him to be called a vile human, a fascist and a dumb far-right puppet.Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
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