Find Antonyms

unlawful Antonyms

Opposite of unlawful

Because the opposite of unlawful shifts with each meaning, the antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Not conforming to, permitted by, or recognized by law or rules.

Usage Example

"The court ruled that the company's sudden termination of the contract was lawful."

Strongest
lawful
legal
legitimate
Strong
licit
permissible
authorized
sanctioned

• adjective (Context 2)

Born to parents who are not married to each other (archaic or formal).

Usage Example

"In the nineteenth-century novel, the estate was denied to the nobleman's legitimate heir."

Strongest
legitimate
lawful

Similar words to unlawful

Words similar to unlawful shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:

illegitimate
illegal
illicit
prohibited
forbidden
outlawed
unauthorized
natural
See all synonyms of unlawful

• Nearby Words

unlamented
unlatch
unlaundered
unlawful
unlawfully
unlawfulness
unleaded

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Unlawful. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/unlawful
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