1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of unlawful
By deploying cameras, sensors, and barriers in strategic areas, CBP is restricting unlawful vehicle access while utilizing the natural barriers that already exist in the area.
—
Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 20 May 2026
While California sued the DOT, the Sikh Coalition and Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit against the state, claiming the CDL cancellations were unlawful.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 19 May 2026
His lawsuit against the IRS had been challenged by Democratic lawmakers, former IRS and Justice Department officials and outside progressive organizations as a blatantly unlawful move by a deeply conflicted president.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Offline life is full of things that are irritating but not unlawful.
—Gregory M. Dickinson, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 20 May 2026
While California sued the DOT, the Sikh Coalition and Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit against the state, claiming the CDL cancellations were unlawful.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 19 May 2026
His lawsuit against the IRS had been challenged by Democratic lawmakers, former IRS and Justice Department officials and outside progressive organizations as a blatantly unlawful move by a deeply conflicted president.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Offline life is full of things that are irritating but not unlawful.
—Gregory M. Dickinson, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlawful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlawful
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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Players take on the role of one of four Vault Hunters searching for mythical vaults while trying to take on the planet’s immoral dictator.—
Sheena Vasani,
The Verge,
23 May 2026
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The government has suspended the platform several times, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral or unlawful content.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 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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There’s a strong sense that Feito’s novel got more mileage out of such questions as who is truly sane or insane and whether evil exists in all of us.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
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The Gunslinger versus the evil Rancher (or space crime syndicate bosses, as the case may be).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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When continuity of care breaks down, the consequences eventually reappear inside emergency rooms, homeless shelters and criminal justice systems.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
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The erosion of due process when AI mediates government decisions in welfare, immigration, and the criminal justice system.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Bowing down and worshiping an idol is sinful.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
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Efficiency is religion, and turnovers are almost sinful.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Another thankless gig leads Ben to Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), a nightclub singer with ties to Brendan Gleeson‘s Silvermane, a vicious mobster engaged in an increasingly heated conflict with the city’s mayor (Michael Kostroff).—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
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There are the victims, their families, and lives left shattered because of a single person’s vicious wrath.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The land of the southern hemisphere pulled away from this vile impactor, restructuring itself in the northern hemisphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
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Fleeing Salzburg and his father’s (Jonathan Aris) iron fist and emphasis on perfection, Mozart, armed with his compositions, vile language and impulsivity, is determined to take on the city.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unlawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlawful. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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