Find Synonyms

unlawful Synonyms

Another word for unlawful

Choosing another word for unlawful depends on context, so the 13 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by match 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 illegal."

Strongest
illegal
illicit
Strong
illegitimate
prohibited
forbidden
unauthorized
outlawed
banned
criminal
felonious

• 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 illegitimate heir."

Strongest
illegitimate
Strong
natural
baseborn
misbegotten

Opposites of unlawful

The opposite of unlawful shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

legitimate
lawful
legal
licit
permissible
authorized
sanctioned
See all opposites of unlawful

• Nearby Words

unlamented
unlatch
unlaundered
unlawful
unlawfully
unlawfulness
unleaded

Cite this Entry

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