Collocations for "illegal"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "illegal" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
illegal
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- illegal [acts, deeds, crimes, actions]
- [taking, selling, making] illegal drugs
- arrested for selling illegal [goods, drugs]
- [combat, tackle, clamp down on] illegal activities
- conducting illegal activities
- illegal immigrants
- illegal and [immoral, unconstitutional, unsafe]
- the illegal [occupation, trade, use] of
- is illegal under [article, section] [five]
- is strictly illegal
- it is illegal to [copy, sell, possess]
- it is illegal in [France] to
- was illegal until (its decriminalization in) [1990]
- [deport, arrest] illegals
- is [prejudiced, racist] against illegals
- arrested for [aiding, hiding, employing] illegals
- has been an illegal in [the USA, the country] since
- report illegals to Immigration
- got a tip-off about illegals
'illegal' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
activity
- alien
- allegedly
- clamp
- conceal
- counterfeit
- county
- deal
- dealing
- digging
- dolphin
- download
- drug
- dumping
- engage
- examine
- expenditure
- exposure
- fine
- gamble
- good
- grand
- horn
- hunter
- hunting
- immigrant
- implement
- import
- issuance
- ivory
- merchandise
- poppy
- possession
- procurement
- profit
- rave
- scam
- seize
- seizure
- source
- substance
- supply
- supposed
- supposedly
- swindle
- tackle
- tag
- taking
- through
- tow