Definitions of unlawful
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not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention
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synonyms:
improper, unconventional
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irregular
contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice
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irregular
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contrary to or forbidden by law“unlawful measures”
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synonyms:
illegitimate, illicit, outlaw, outlawed
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illegal
prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules
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illegal
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contrary to or prohibited by or defiant of law“unlawful measures”“unlawful money”“unlawful hunters”
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Synonyms:
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lawless, outlaw
disobedient to or defiant of law
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lawless, wide-open
lax in enforcing laws
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wrongful
unlawfully violating the rights of others
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illegal
prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules
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corrupt, crooked
not straight; dishonest or immoral or evasive
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Antonyms:
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lawful
conformable to or allowed by law
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law-abiding, observant
(of individuals) adhering strictly to laws and rules and customs
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legal
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules
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square, straight
characterized by honesty and fairness
- show more antonyms...
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lawless, outlaw
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not morally right or permissible
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Synonyms:
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illicit
contrary to accepted morality (especially sexual morality) or convention
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illicit
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having no legally established claim
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synonyms:
wrongful
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illegitimate
of marriages and offspring; not recognized as lawful
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illegitimate
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘unlawful'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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