Definitions

lawless

[law-lis] / ˈlɔ lɪs /

ADJECTIVE

reckless, ungoverned

Synonyms

STRONGEST

anarchic barbarous chaotic turbulent unruly violent

WEAK

anarchical anarchistic bad contumacious criminal despotic disobedient disordered disorderly evil fierce heterodox infringing insubordinate insurgent mutinous nihilistic noncompliant nonconformist piratical rebellious recusant revolutionary riotous savage seditious tempestuous terrorizing traitorous tyrannous uncivilized uncultivated unorthodox unpeaceful unrestrained untamed warlike wild

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm mild moderate obedient

WEAK

governed lawful legal legitimate licit proper rightful valid

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.

“This is a desperate situation where you have a lawless agency flouting the laws and threatening resources,” Rosenfield said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

What she’s targeting is the lawless underlying subpoena, saying it was unenforceable to begin with.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

We may live in an increasingly lawless society, but that doesn’t mean all significance should be abandoned at will.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

And at times “Kenrex” verges on caricature in its depiction of rural life as a lawless Wild Midwest, garnished by such down-home delicacies as “a deep fried barbecue chili cheese dog with bacon crumbles.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

The racing was lawless and wild and the Americans loved it.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Vocabulary lists containing lawless

Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Wrong

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!