unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 
1
: not lawful : illegal
2
: not morally right or conventional
Synonyms
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
Mills pleaded guilty to two of the four counts in the indictment -- excessive force and failing to intervene, as well as conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force, according to the DOJ.
—
Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
Paige McQuay, 56, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to contact a minor to commit an unlawful offense and attempting lewd acts with a minor, according to Roseville police spokesperson Chris Ciampa.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024
Should a president issue an unlawful or potentially unlawful order, the military would face intense pressure from the administration to carry it out before opposition coalesces in the legislative or judicial branches.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
That would help weed out unlawful de minimis shipments, Biden suggested.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful 
Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2024
Paige McQuay, 56, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to contact a minor to commit an unlawful offense and attempting lewd acts with a minor, according to Roseville police spokesperson Chris Ciampa.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024
Should a president issue an unlawful or potentially unlawful order, the military would face intense pressure from the administration to carry it out before opposition coalesces in the legislative or judicial branches.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
That would help weed out unlawful de minimis shipments, Biden suggested.
—Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlawful
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unlawful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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