illegal

[ih-lee-guhl] / ɪˈli gəl /

ADJECTIVE

against the law

Synonyms

STRONGEST

banned criminal illegitimate illicit irregular outlawed prohibited smuggled unauthorized unconstitutional unlawful unlicensed unwarranted wrongful

WEAK

actionable black-market bootleg contraband crooked extralegal felonious forbidden heavy hot interdicted lawless not approved not legal outside the law proscribed prosecutable racket shady sub-rosa taboo under-the-table unofficial unwarrantable verboten violating wildcat

Antonyms

STRONGEST

authorized blessed ethical good justifiable lawful legal legitimate moral permitted right warranted

WEAK

allowed permissible

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal earlier this year that the company “always explicitly opposed any form of illegal or abusive conduct” on its network.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Every lower court that has considered the issue has found the order illegal and prevented it from taking effect.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE, and it exercises strict control over the flow information out of the country.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

But a northern Greece veterinarian argues that illegal vaccination has helped.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

It wasn’t illegal, as a Spare, to sit courtside or to switch jobs like Mrs. Laroux had said, but that didn’t mean it was done.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

illegal

Example Sentences

Related Words