Meaning & use

unlawfully

adverb·Advanced

Last updated

In a manner that is against the law; illegally.

See it in a sentence

He was charged with unlawfully entering the building after hours.

The company was accused of unlawfully dumping waste into the river.

A note on using this word

Unlawfully is common in legal charges and statutes, often paired with a specific verb describing the prohibited act.

Words with a similar meaning

illegallyillicitly

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

lawfullylegally

Make it your own

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