# unlawful

/ənˈɫɔfəɫ/ (US) · /ʌnlˈɔːfəl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unlawful
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

not allowed by the law. You use this to describe actions or things that break official rules or legal standards.

For teachers: contrary to or prohibited by law; not authorized by legal rules. Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe specific acts rather than a person's general character.

## Examples

- The judge ruled that the search was unlawful.
- The company faced heavy fines after the court found their hiring practices to be unlawful.
- The tribunal concluded that the detention was unlawful because the authorities failed to provide a valid warrant within the required forty-eight-hour window.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is an unlawful person" but "He is a criminal / He committed an unlawful act" — Unlawful usually describes actions, objects, or states (like a 'search' or 'possession'), whereas 'criminal' or 'dishonest' is used to describe a person's character.

## Usage notes

- Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or as a predicative adjective after 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.