Meaning & use
illicit
Last updated
Not permitted by law, rules, or custom; forbidden.
See it in a sentence
The investigation exposed an illicit trade in endangered animal parts.
They were fired for having an illicit relationship with a client.
A note on using this word
Often confused with "elicit" (to draw out a response), which is unrelated in meaning despite sounding similar.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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