# extrajudicial

CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/extrajudicial
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

done outside the normal court system, without a judge or trial. You see it in phrases like extrajudicial killing, which means killing by officials without a legal trial.

For teachers: occurring or carried out outside the authority of a court or formal legal process. Typically describes state action, such as killing, detention, or punishment, that bypasses judicial oversight.

## Examples

- The report condemns extrajudicial arrests by local officials.
- Human rights groups accuse the security forces of extrajudicial killings after several suspects die in custody without trial.
- The commission found that extrajudicial detentions had become routine, eroding public trust in courts that were meant to check executive power.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.