# outlawed

/ˈaʊtˌɫɔd/ (US) · /aʊtlˈɔːd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/outlawed
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

describing something that is now illegal or banned by the government. You use this when a rule or law has officially stopped people from doing something.

For teachers: made illegal or prohibited by law or official decree. Often functions as a participial adjective describing the status of an activity or substance.

## Examples

- The government has outlawed smoking in public parks.
- Certain types of plastic packaging were outlawed last year to help protect the local environment.
- The newly outlawed substances were immediately removed from pharmacy shelves as the regulatory body enforced the ban with strict penalties for non-compliance.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The government outlawed from smoking" but "The government outlawed smoking" — The verb is transitive and takes the activity as a direct object; it does not require the preposition 'from'.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used as a past participle in passive constructions or as an adjective following a linking verb.

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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.