Meaning & use
unconstitutionality
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Meaning
noununcountablelegal
The state of going against the rules set out in a country's constitution, so that a law or act is not allowed.
Grammar: Often followed by of: the unconstitutionality of the law.
Patterns
- the unconstitutionality of something
- argue the unconstitutionality of something
The lawyers argued the unconstitutionality of the new tax.
The court's finding of unconstitutionality ended the ban.
Critics raised the unconstitutionality of the order before it took effect.
Common combinations
- claim of unconstitutionality
- The claim of unconstitutionality went to the high court.
- declare the unconstitutionality
- Judges declared the unconstitutionality of the statute.
- argue unconstitutionality
- The group will argue unconstitutionality at the hearing.
- finding of unconstitutionality
- A finding of unconstitutionality would void the law.
Synonyms and how they differ
- illegality
- Illegality means breaking any law, while unconstitutionality means specifically conflicting with the constitution.
- invalidity
- Invalidity is broader and covers any reason a law or document is void.
- unlawfulness
- Unlawfulness describes conduct against the law, not a clash with constitutional rules.
Opposites
Word family
- constitution noun
- the basic rules of a country
- constitutional adjective
- allowed by the constitution
- unconstitutional adjective
- not allowed by the constitution
- constitutionality noun
- the quality of being in line with the constitution
- unconstitutionally adverb
- in a way that breaks the constitution
Commonly confused: unconstitutionality or unconstitutional?
unconstitutionality vs unconstitutional
Unconstitutional is the adjective describing a law, while unconstitutionality is the noun naming the condition.
Practice
The judge's ruling rested on the ___ of the law, meaning it clashed with the constitution.
Choose one answer.
Unconstitutionality names the clash with the constitution. Constitutionality means the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unconstitutionality”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.