UNLAWFUL Synonyms: 181 Similar and Opposite Words

unlawful

adjective

ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl

Definition of unlawful

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unlawful British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband declared on September 8 that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is unlawful and announced a sanctions regime against the settlements and companies involved in their financing and construction. — Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026 Smart did not enter pleas to charges of being armed, or pretending to be armed, in a way that may cause fear and with making an unlawful threat. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Sullivan faces two counts of first-degree kidnapping and a single count each of first-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to persons. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 But hundreds of Department officials have been assigned to search for unlawful voters. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unlawful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlawful

Adjective

So far, the most plausible driver of recent declines in overdose deaths is a change in the illicit drug supply.

— J. Travis Donahoe, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
But how and through whom the money flowed into the Alpha account revealed that it was intended to remain secret, more akin to a covert and illicit scheme, given that it was managed in part by a senior advisor to the president of the United States.

— Matthew Cole, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of illicit

Adjective

Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
In those cases, your cause is so just that you are warranted to be immoral in protecting it.

— Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of immoral

Adjective

The police spokesperson said Perez was taken into custody without incident and charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
The leader of one of Haiti’s most powerful criminal organizations said the Salvadorans were killed in territory controlled by Chen Mechan, an allied gang.

— Widlore Mérancourt, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of criminal

Adjective

According to the first novel, James and Lily Potter were killed by the most evil dark wizard, Voldemort.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
For this week, however, Morris is an evil stepsibling, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator trying to slow down Robinson and the Falcons’ offense.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of evil

Adjective

Judaism teaches that human beings are not inherently sinful, destructive or a detriment to the world.

— Meir Moscowitz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
My prescribed low-carb, caffeine-free diet sounded horrifying on paper, but my sinful pleasures were replaced with a tasty, high-quality, and healthy alternative that left me more energized.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Definition of sinful

Adjective

The vicious cycle of the current model, of course, is that to become marketable a team needs to get and retain good players, and to do that a school has to spend money, which cycles the whole thing back to the start.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Governments were expected to rescue struggling banks, which held large amounts of sovereign debt, creating a vicious cycle.

— Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

Prosecutors reveal Ha used anonymous social media accounts to send dozens of vile antisemitic threats, leaking the victim’s home address and forcing their family to flee.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
New additions include singer Tank, who plays vile music exec Eric Cropper and Jax’s main client, Beauty in Black star Taylor Polidore Williams as Eric’s wife Brooke, La La Anthony as Eric’s first wife Melina, and then Megan Good as Regina Harris.

— Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of vile

Adjective

The album’s experimental bent is also what keeps the music from slipping into parody or, even worse, po-faced sincerity.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
Judges failing to award fees and government agencies unreasonably resisting paying them make the problem even worse.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of bad

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unlatching

unlawful

unlawfulness

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“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unlawful

adjective

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