Standard Lemma guide

illegally

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪˈliːɡəli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 L IY1 G AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a manner contrary to law.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He received a ticket for illegally parking next to a fire hydrant.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: illicitly, criminally, forbiddenly, illegally, illegitimately, unlawfully

Antonyms: legally, lawfully, legitimately, licitly

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in an illegal manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they dumped the waste illegally

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: illicitly, lawlessly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From illegal + -ly or il- + legally.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: il·legalment — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不法地 (bùfǎ de) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Dutch: illegaal — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Esperanto: kontraŭleĝe — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Finnish: laittomasti — in a manner contrary to the law
  • French: illégalement — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Galician: ilegalmente — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: illegal — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: rechtswidrig — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: gesetzwidrig — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: widerrechtlich — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: ungesetzlich — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: unrechtmäßig — in a manner contrary to the law
  • German: gesetzeswidrig — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Greek: παράνομα (paránoma) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Greek: έκνομα (éknoma) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Greek: εκνόμως (eknómos) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Japanese: 違法に (ihō ni) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Polish: nielegalnie — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Polish: bezprawnie — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Portuguese: ilegalmente — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Romanian: ilegal — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Romanian: nelegal — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Russian: незако́нно (nezakónno) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Russian: нелега́льно (nelegálʹno) — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Spanish: ilegalmente — in a manner contrary to the law
  • Swedish: olagligt — in a manner contrary to the law
Real reading context

illegally in complete knowledge articles