1
a
: being in harmony with the law
a lawful judgment
b
: constituted, authorized, or established by law : rightful
lawful institutions
2
: law-abiding
lawful citizens
Examples of lawful in a Sentence
a lawful search of the property
hunting is a lawful activity only if you have the proper license
Recent Examples on the Web
Applicants still need to meet requirements, such as having good moral character and being a lawful permanent resident at the time of their naturalization interview.
—
Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
Green card holders, who are lawful permanent residents, have faced challenges in certain cases, including a recent Columbia graduate student and Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
In effect, a baby born to an undocumented immigrant mother or even a female temporary visa holder would no longer be a U.S. citizen at birth unless the father was a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Zhou is a Chinese citizen and a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
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Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
Green card holders, who are lawful permanent residents, have faced challenges in certain cases, including a recent Columbia graduate student and Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
In effect, a baby born to an undocumented immigrant mother or even a female temporary visa holder would no longer be a U.S. citizen at birth unless the father was a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Zhou is a Chinese citizen and a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
Cite this Entry
“Lawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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