illegal illicit; immoral: unlawful love - an archaic word for illegitimate
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
un•law•ful /ʌnˈlɔfəl/USA pronunciation
adj.
un•law•ful•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- not lawful;
contrary to law;
illegal:unlawful acts.
un•law•ful•ness, n. [uncountable]
un•law•ful
(un lô′fəl),USA pronunciation adj.
un•law′ful•ly, adv.
un•law′ful•ness, n.
- not lawful;
contrary to law;
illegal. - born out of wedlock;
illegitimate.
- Middle English unlaweful. See un-1, lawful 1250–1300
un•law′ful•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged illicit. See illegal.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged bastard, natural.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'unlawful act' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):