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 city lawyer framed it as an illegal end-run around the state Public Information Act itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

“If parents aren’t going to hold their children accountable, then I am going to hold parents accountable for hurting and killing innocent people while riding illegal motor vehicles,” Spitzer said in the statement.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Cumbria Connect said it was not involved in the release of the animals and suspected their release was illegal - which it did not "support".

From BBC • May 13, 2026

At what point should anyone’s earnings become illegal?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

"It ain't illegal to be part of an organization," I say.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Vocabulary lists containing illegal

List 3

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

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