1
as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
the lawless rioters were destroying everything in sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
the level of lawless activity in the territory had reached the point where the authorities felt compelled to act
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lawless
On the other hand, abandoning public spaces — such as parks — to lawless tent encampments isn’t fair to residents, either.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
There would be no government, no police, no fire department, no traffic laws, no court of justice; life would be totally free but totally lawless.
—George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
And for those who gave their lives, Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered, and Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed by ICE and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.
—Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
And for those who gave their lives, Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered, and Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed by ICE and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lawless
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
There would be no government, no police, no fire department, no traffic laws, no court of justice; life would be totally free but totally lawless.
—George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
And for those who gave their lives, Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered, and Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed by ICE and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.
—Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
And for those who gave their lives, Renee Good, mother of three, brutally murdered, and Alex Pretti, VA nurse, executed by ICE and left to die in the street without even the decency of our lawless government investigating their deaths.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lawless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawless
Adjective
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In a criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post, prosecutors alleged that McHenry stabbed Bachmann in the neck and chest inside her car.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
-
Shianne LeClair is an undergraduate criminology student at Central Connecticut State University, and this topic is part of her research on homelessness and criminal justice policy for her Current Issues in Criminal Justice Policy course.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
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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
Adjective
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That would be a massive threat to the hegemony established by the film, especially for people at their most curious, rebellious age.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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And what could be more rebellious than sending a roomful of serious cinephiles screaming for the exits?—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The 27-year-old founder of a Sikh motorcycle club that prosecutors say was linked to the notorious Hells Angels has been sentenced for illegally dealing in firearms and unlawful possession of a machine gun.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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The Justice Department has repeatedly argued that the information sought in the subpoenas is needed to investigate possible fraud or unlawful off-label promotion of drugs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Thanks to the anarchic Russian civil war, no one is entirely clear on who really controls the city, and the only constant is the threat of violence.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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The Dark Knight redefined what a superhero film could be, eschewing camp for a gritty crime drama whose cool color palette, brooding hero, and anarchic villain cast a shadow over the genre for decades.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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And while the medical community rejected the compounds, today’s illicit drug manufacturers have revived nitazenes in a far more concentrated and hazardous form.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Reporters crowded around Scott, asking him about Becerra and whether the candidate knew about the illicit arrangement.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Ceballos, who formerly served as mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, for two terms, pleaded guilty in April to three counts of disorderly election conduct following a prosecution by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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Ceballos pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly election conduct in Comanche County court April 20, agreeing to pay a $2,000 fine and serve a year of probation.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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The Kent County Sheriff's Office says that on April 7, the Patrol and Investigative Divisions attempted to stop the 39-year-old driver from Kent County, who was wanted for a felonious assault the night before.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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Last year, the number of officers killed decreased, both in terms of officers killed as a result of felonious acts and those killed accidentally.—
Kenneth D. Robinson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lawless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawless. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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