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Showing results for illegal. Search instead for illegalt.
Definitions

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.

The appeals court ruled that Keenan couldn’t use the gun as evidence because police had conducted an illegal search, forcing Keenan to dismiss the case.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Police officers working to shut down an illegal rave at a beauty spot used "unethical" force, one partygoer has told the BBC.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Many of them—instituted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act—were deemed illegal by the U.S.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

In a March ruling unsealed Thursday, a federal judge found that Border Patrol agents had continued making illegal arrests in California’s Central Valley without reasonable suspicion.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Anthony had been accused of breaking a law that prohibited willful and knowing illegal voting; she argued that she didn’t break the law because she believed her ballot was legal.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling