lawless

adjective

ˈlȯ-ləs How to pronounce lawless (audio)
Definition of lawlessnext
1
as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority the lawless rioters were destroying everything in sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law the level of lawless activity in the territory had reached the point where the authorities felt compelled to act

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lawless Everybody on our side understands that impeachment is a critical tool in the toolbox for constitutional self-defense against a president acting like a king, an imperious, lawless, arrogant king. — NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026 Besides, though the presence of armed vigilantes helped many in town feel safer, the fact remained that much of Michoacán was still lawless. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The show, Gunsmoke & Mirrors, is set in the late 19th century and chronicles the transformation of Christian Rørmose Madsen, who reinvented himself in the lawless crucible of the American West. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 Both upheld the conviction, arguing that Hess's word choice was intended to incite and likely to result in lawless behavior. — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lawless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawless
  1. criminal
  2. unlawful
  3. rebellious
  4. illicit
  5. anarchic
  6. felonious
  7. disorderly
Adjective
  • Homeland Security Investigations agents also interviewed Adawag last week, according to the criminal complaint filed against her.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Martin Zummach, an attorney who represents the officer who fired the shot that killed Kohen, says the attorney general's findings cleared his client of criminal wrongdoing.
    — SOPHIE BATES, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of criminal
Adjective
  • The complaint seeks a declaration that DeWine’s executive order is unlawful.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Paporakis faces one felony count of making a terrorist threat and one felony count of unlawful possession of a weapon.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • The shoes appeared similar to the popular DSquared 2 Riri heeled sandals, which are also a sleek, seductive and rebellious style with towering heels and straps that wrap around the foot and ankle with super-thin leather ties.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Suzanne’s kind of rebellious temperament brought a lucidity to that character.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • From December 2024 to May 2025, the international law enforcement body Interpol conducted Operation Pangea XVII, in which authorities in 90 countries seized more than 50 million doses of illicit pharmaceuticals.
    — Andrew Yockey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Participants were also asked about their alcohol consumption, smoking and illicit drug use.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • But while our online worlds have since expanded, the real-world space for anarchic creativity has shrunk.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The poet, Pavese implies, is a creature of Chaos—that anarchic state in which good is mixed with bad and monsters mingle with men and gods.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of anarchic
Adjective
  • Joshua Shakur Leroy Cawthon, 18, was charged with one count of first-degree animal killing or torturing, one count of felonious assault, and one count of domestic violence.
    — Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The two were sentenced in Michigan to one year of probation in December 2025, and pleaded guilty to felonious telecommunications fraud in Ohio in 2022.
    — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of felonious
Adjective
  • The drunk-and-disorderly charge is linked to a December incident, in which Minton is accused of shouting and cursing at patrons of a tattoo studio in Hickory, court records show.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Loyal Maids in Extravagant Mansions While Solana is a disorderly servant, Clarita reflects the trope of the loyal maid of the higher class, the societal expectation in the region.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of disorderly

Browse Nearby Words

lawgivers
lawless
lawlessness
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Cite this Entry

“Lawless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawless. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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