illicit

[ih-lis-it] / ɪˈlɪs ɪt /

ADJECTIVE

not legal; forbidden

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adulterous bootleg clandestine contraband furtive illegal illegitimate immoral improper prohibited unauthorized unlawful unlicensed wrongful

WEAK

black-market contrary to law criminal crooked dirty felonious guilty heavy in violation of law lawless out of line racket wrong

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aboveboard allowed authorized chaste ethical forthright good lawful legal legitimate moral open permitted pure right truthful uncorrupt

WEAK

blessed licit noble proper

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.

Stablecoins account for 84% of illicit crypto activity such as sanctions evasion and money laundering, according to Chainalysis.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

The bags are usually $1.49 or 99 cents, which feels almost illicit in this economy.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

For Cage, it’s a combination of its visual aesthetic and the moral ambiguity of the mysteries and illicit affairs in film noir that have made the genre endure among cinephiles.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

In an X post on Friday, Petro voiced his willingness to resume negotiations: "If the ELN decides to work with us to dismantle illicit economies, new paths to peace will open up again."

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

He got them both Cokes and looked at the couch to see if it looked illicit.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

Vocabulary lists containing illicit

Some Tricky Homonyms

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This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018

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Brave New World

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