Illegal

Quick meaning: Illegal is an adjective meaning Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.

Meaning

Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.

More Meanings

1. Forbidden by established rules.
2. (philately, of an issue printed for collectors) Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.
3. (of a person, sometimes offensive) Being or doing something illegally.
4. (colloquial, in the plural, as illegals) Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.
5. (colloquial, offensive) An illegal immigrant.
6. (chiefly US, sometimes offensive) Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.
7. (obsolete) An illegal act or technique.

Example Sentences

This is illegal, you know!

Moving a pawn backward is an illegal move in chess.

Nearly 40 million people live in UK areas with illegal air pollution

It's illegal to go over 70mph on any British road, so why should drivers have cars that can?

Word Forms

• illegaler
• illegalest
• illegals

Synonyms for illegal

Depending on context, synonyms include crimmigrant, criminal, felonious, illicit, irregular, crimeful.

Antonyms for illegal

Common opposites include lawful, legal, legitimate, licit, rightful.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include outlawed, ill-gotten, unlawful, criminal, illicit, extrajudicial.

Related Dictionary Tools