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Showing results for illegal. Search instead for illeg.
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 organisation called the process illegal and said it would challenge it in court.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

"Of course, until yesterday the prime minister was claiming that this leadership had brought order to the chaos of illegal subsidies," it said.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The Ashley Madison scandal was embarrassing but not illegal.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Oregon’s Worker Fraud Protection Act makes it illegal to “falsely impersonate” a union representative and imposes fines for infractions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

All of our departures from the country were dangerous, abrupt, and mostly illegal.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.