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illegal

Forbidden by established rules.

ɪˈliːɡəlCurrent121 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
3 definitions
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Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

#1·Apr 27, 2026

Forbidden by established rules.

Nearly 40 million people live in UK areas with illegal air pollution
Heard in the wild
  • “x.com/wallstreetap... This is illegal. Why does the government feel that they have so much power to do anything that they want. There are private property rights for a reason this is beyond government overreach.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Threatening/coercion of voters... Isn't that illegal. 🤔”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Would you rather: escalate an illegal claim or speed a senior? Can't choose? Or the question makes no sense? All words come from ICE incident reports and lawsuits in 2025. Check it out @ https://wiki.icelist.is”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “As with Trump, it's all to distract from criminality. A £5 million bribe, tax evasion, illegal donations”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “2026-05-05 14:53:11 - Market news: Türkiye shut down 49 illegal gambling websites.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

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

This is illegal, you know!
Origin: Borrowed from , from , from , . In senses relating to immigration, via or illegal immigrant. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"illegal" means: Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"illegal" means: Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Cluster: criminal
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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(philately, of an issue printed for collectors) Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.

Their illegal mining operations in Asia, Africa and elsewhere, are protected by officials and police paid to look the other way – and powerful customers in the construction industry who prefer not to ask too many questions.
Heard in the wild
  • “After reporting the illegal activities of the organized criminal network, a spyware has been installed on my devices. The malicious malware/spyware installed on my devices has the nature of a fast-acting venom!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “#SpotTheScammer @toulouse33.bsky.social - Selling "weed", which is illegal in France for recreational use, restricted for certain medical uses only. Lists also other illegal drugs. Using same Telegram as @nantesweed.bsky.social and @weedparis.bsky.social.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “So long as I'm being paid, no, it's not illegal.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Isn't there something illegal about all this?”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “🚨GREAT NEWS 🚨 There is actually significantly more investment into #renewables following this #fossilfuel crisis. At the same time, this illegal war by the US and Israel is horrible and must stop - we must not forget about the people suffering and who makes them suffer.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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