Lawless Meaning
/ˈlɔːləs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjNot governed by any law.
adjProhibited by law; unlawful, illegal.
Sentence Examples
In a lawless outpost deep within the desert, everybody wore football shoulder pads and mohawks.
Better the naked and the honest than the rich and lawless.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
After the natural disaster, the city became ____ due to the lack of police.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The region had become a ____ area where criminal gangs were able to operate without any fear of the police.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *lagą Old Norse lag Old Norse lǫgbor. Old English lagu Middle English lawe Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les Middle English laweles English lawless From Middle English laweles; equivalent to law + -less. Cognate with Danish lovløs (“lawless”), Swedish laglös (“lawless”), Norwegian lovløs (“lawless”), Icelandic löglaus (“lawless”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This countrey ſwarmes with vile outragious men,
That liue by rapine and by lawleſſe ſpoile,
Fit ſouldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine."
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
"For ſure the Gods / Are not devoid of wiſdom, but perceive / What oaths are lawleſs and by force extorted."
— 1782, Euripides, “Iphegenia in Aulis”, in Michael Wodhull, transl., The Nineteen Tragedies and Fragments of Euripides. … In Four Volumes, volume II, London: […] Thomas Payne and Son, […], →OCLC, page 210:
"“We’re in a moment in this country where transgender people in this country are under attack in lawless ways,” said Chase Strangio, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who represented transgender teens at the high court."
— 2025 June 18, John Fritze and Devan Cole, “Takeaways from the Supreme Court’s historic decision on transgender care”, in CNN:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After the natural disaster, the city became ____ due to the lack of police.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The region had become a ____ area where criminal gangs were able to operate without any fear of the police.