lawful

adjective

law·​ful ˈlȯ-fəl How to pronounce lawful (audio)
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 adverb
lawfulness noun
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 See all Example Sentences for lawful 

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lawful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lawful

Cite this Entry

“Lawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawful. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lawful

adjective
law·​ful ˈlȯ-fəl How to pronounce lawful (audio)
1
: permitted by law
lawful conduct
2
: recognized by law : rightful
the lawful owner
lawfully adverb
lawfulness 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

More from Merriam-Webster on lawful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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