How to Use lawful in a Sentence

lawful

adjective
Definition of lawfulnext
Synonyms for lawfulnext
  • The form must be authorized by the debtor to be lawful.
    — Molly Stellino, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2022
  • The three-judge panel found Ridgell's cannabis use was lawful and did not amount to child neglect.
    — Mary Jo Pitzl, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023
  • The group therefore predicts that the number of lawful instances could pass 1 million at some point in the next three years.
    — Alicia Chen, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2022
  • His lawful and just sentence must be carried out as ordered by the court.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Jan. 2024
  • Rhodes and the others stand accused of conspiring to use force to oppose the lawful transfer of power to Joe Biden.
    — Spencer S. Hsu, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Sep. 2022
  • Also, be familiar with what species of bait is lawful to catch and keep when cast netting.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 4 Jan. 2024
  • More than 8,400 troops who declined to get the vaccine were forced out of the military for refusing to obey a lawful order.
    — Meg Kinnard, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2023
  • The lawful pathways will provide safety in order for them.
    — CBS News, 7 May 2023
  • For migrants, the formula for finding a lawful job is not so simple.
    — Hillary Chura, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Jan. 2024
  • The goal, Frost said, is not to take away guns from lawful owners, but to implement common sense gun control policies to save lives.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024
  • The point is not to choose between them: This is a lawful publication staffed by chaotic readers.
    — A.o. Scott, New York Times, 21 June 2023
  • In June, the Utah Supreme Court ruled the port authority lawful and legitimate.
    — Blake Apgar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Oct. 2022
  • Both refugees and asylees have a pathway to lawful permanent residence.
    — Zaeem Shaikh, Dallas News, 9 Mar. 2023
  • The man faces charges of motor vehicle theft and two counts of 1st degree assault, two counts of second- degree assault, and failing to obey a lawful order.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN, 13 May 2023
  • This harm would be felt throughout the country, given that mifepristone has lawful uses in every State.
    — Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2023
  • So, first of all, President Biden has led the greatest expansions of lawful pathways ever.
    — ABC News, 14 May 2023
  • The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the first major attempt by Congress to define what would be lawful on the internet.
    — Melissa Gira Grant, The New Republic, 1 Aug. 2022
  • His possession of them is entirely consistent with that right, and therefore lawful, regardless of the statutes the FBI cites in its warrant.
    — David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022
  • The intention is to provide students with a greater understanding of the lawful possession and use of guns, gun crime and injuries, and the future of gun politics.
    — David Yamane, The Conversation, 26 June 2023
  • This legislation makes hemp and its derivatives lawful in all 50 states, as well as parts of Canada.
    — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 2 Nov. 2022
  • Even lending or gifting a book to another is perfectly lawful, since at some point in the process the book was purchased, and some portion of the purchase price ended up in the author’s pocket.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2023
  • Attorney Tom Yu, who is representing the deputy involved, said his client conducted a lawful stop and then behaved just as he was trained.
    — Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Even while Turner spoke, a few staffers began privately debating whether what Turner described was a lawful use of the program.
    — Dell Cameron, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
  • Any company that is providing a lawful product should have access to the banking system.
    — Gene A. Grant Ii, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023
  • Citizens exercised their lawful right of challenge in two states.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2024
  • The same applies to immigrants and lawful permanent residents as well.
    — Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2022
  • State and federal courts, and the elections commission, have determined the grants were lawful in three separate challenges.
    — Molly Beck, Journal Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2022
  • Use of the chairs are lawful only when jailers are attempting to protect a prisoner from harming themselves or others.
    — Jillian Price, ajc, 18 Oct. 2022
  • And just to make sure, to be clear on this, it is tightly controlled as a lawful drug, given in hospitals, often for cancer patients and end of life as patches or put under someone's tongue.
    — Nbc Universal, NBC News, 2 July 2023
  • The defense says Cole used lawful self-defense to protect both himself and the safety of Wilfong, who has already pleaded no contest to accessory and was sentenced to 78 days in jail.
    — Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024

Some of 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.

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