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
These refugees, most of whom are women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, fled an active war zone through a lawful program initiated by the U.S. government.
—
Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump vowed to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history and has detained and deported thousands of people in recent months, including permanent lawful residents and various visa holders.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
In the government’s memo filed Thursday, Rubio cited an obscure provision in the law giving his office the power to deport noncitizens whose activities, even if lawful, could pose unfavorable foreign policy consequences.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Applicants must personally provide, at minimum, documents that verify their full legal names, birthdays, Social Security numbers, legal residence and lawful status.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lawful
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Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump vowed to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history and has detained and deported thousands of people in recent months, including permanent lawful residents and various visa holders.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
In the government’s memo filed Thursday, Rubio cited an obscure provision in the law giving his office the power to deport noncitizens whose activities, even if lawful, could pose unfavorable foreign policy consequences.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Applicants must personally provide, at minimum, documents that verify their full legal names, birthdays, Social Security numbers, legal residence and lawful status.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 9 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 22 Apr. 2025.
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