Word
illegally
Phoneticsil·le·gal·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪˈɫiɡəɫi/
UK/ɪlˈiːɡəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. in a way that breaks the law. You use this when someone does something that is not allowed by the government or official rules.
adv. in a manner that contravenes established law or official regulations.
Examples
“He was fined for parking his car illegally.”
“The company was caught dumping waste illegally into the river and faced a massive fine.”
“While the protesters claimed their actions were morally justified, the court ruled that they had entered the private facility illegally and were liable for damages.”
Examples
simple
“He was fined for parking his car illegally.”
contextual
“The company was caught dumping waste illegally into the river and faced a massive fine.”
complex
“While the protesters claimed their actions were morally justified, the court ruled that they had entered the private facility illegally and were liable for damages.”
Usage
Typically placed after the verb or at the end of the clause; can also precede the past participle in passive constructions.
Pitfall
He was arrested for drive illegally
He was arrested for driving illegally
When following a preposition like 'for', the action must be a gerund (-ing form), not the base verb.
Etymology
From illegal + -ly or il- + legally.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/illegally