as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
some sociologists specialize in studying the lawbreaking elements of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state
an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawbreaking
Adjective
-
Karen Read’s attorneys are taking an approach of highlighting inconsistencies in the testimony of witnesses involved in the case, according to Sydney Rushing, a criminal defense attorney based in Michigan offering analysis on TikTok.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025 -
The Jones Road wildfire, now partially contained, has also led to criminal charges against a local teenager accused of starting the blaze.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
To conceal his crimes, Hemphill, who is also a lawyer, threatened to have the women arrested or killed by falsely claiming to have vast resources and connections to police and organized crime, prosecutors said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
In the 1960s, the Philadelphia police reported less crime on streets with window boxes.—
Sonja Dümpelmann,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Police also told the site that Trachtenberg died of natural causes and that criminality was not suspected in her death.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
17 Apr. 2025
-
At the time of her death, police said criminality was not suspected.—
Kierra Frazier,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Aquarius: Justin Suarez Socially conscious and true fashionista, Justin’s creativity and free spirit very much align with Aquarius’ rebellious nature and sparkling individuality.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
It’s been 150 years since the Impressionists shocked Paris with their rebellious Société Anonyme show.—
Nazanin Lankarani,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Noun
-
The post was an apparent violation of Major League Baseball’s social media policy, which prohibits the use of electronic devices during games.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Civil rights advocates and others have described Trump’s moves as alarming violations of civil rights, including the right to due process.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The proximity, combined with the abundance of recreational boats, makes illicit travel hard to detect, Brown explained.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Psilocybin use in 2023 among adults was higher than estimates for cocaine, illicit opioid use, methamphetamine or LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
This represents that a person belongs to Jesus Christ and that a person is grieving and morning for their sins.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
-
If a teacher required a student who believes that being gay is a sin to write an essay repudiating that belief, for example, that would be unconstitutional.—
Ian Millhiser,
Vox,
15 Apr. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Lawbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawbreaking. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share