unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl 
1
a
: not lawful : illegal
unlawful actions
b
: acting contrary to or in defiance of the law
an unlawful possessor
2
: not morally right or conventional
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
The unlawful increases also affect the basic plan, which saw a 2-euro increase in October 2024.
—
Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
The teacher, Charissa Newport, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child younger than 17, according to the Keller Police Department.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Newport, 45, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child under the age of 17 and has since been released on bond from the Keller Regional Detention Center.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
The reductions must reflect the cumulative unlawful increases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
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Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
The teacher, Charissa Newport, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child younger than 17, according to the Keller Police Department.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Newport, 45, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child under the age of 17 and has since been released on bond from the Keller Regional Detention Center.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026
The reductions must reflect the cumulative unlawful increases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlawful. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlawful
adjective
un·law·ful
ˌən-ˈlȯ-fəl
ˈən-
: not lawful : being against the law : illegal
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