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
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
Despite being a lawful permanent resident, the Trump administration has detained him since March and has sought to strip him of his legal status because of his role in the protests.
—
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The United States rejects any assertion of sovereignty or jurisdiction that is inconsistent with freedoms of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea and air.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
There are students being advised not to go anywhere near a lawful, peaceful protest.
—David Catanese, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
This has not been lawful in the United States from its very inception, or in many other countries where the rule of law and respect for individual civil rights are paramount.
—Andrea Seielstad, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
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.
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The United States rejects any assertion of sovereignty or jurisdiction that is inconsistent with freedoms of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea and air.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
There are students being advised not to go anywhere near a lawful, peaceful protest.
—David Catanese, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
This has not been lawful in the United States from its very inception, or in many other countries where the rule of law and respect for individual civil rights are paramount.
—Andrea Seielstad, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
Cite this Entry
“Lawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawful. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share