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
This reinstates the policies first established in 2015 that regulate telecom companies and prohibit the blocking or throttling of certain, lawful content.
—
Oscar Gonzalez / Gizmodo, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
Agents say the operator of the boat, Jose Valdes Amador, is a Cuban citizen with lawful permanent residence in the U.S.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lawful 
Oscar Gonzalez / Gizmodo, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
Agents say the operator of the boat, Jose Valdes Amador, is a Cuban citizen with lawful permanent residence in the U.S.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lawful
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lawful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lawful
Cite this Entry
“Lawful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawful. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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