1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
2
a
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
b
: a person or organization under a ban or restriction
c
: one that is unconventional or rebellious
3
: an animal (such as a horse) that is wild and unmanageable
outlaw
adjective
outlawed; outlawing; outlaws
1
a
: to deprive of the benefit and protection of law : declare to be an outlaw
b
: to make illegal
outlawed dueling
2
: to place under a ban or restriction
3
: to remove from legal jurisdiction or enforcement
Synonyms
Examples of outlaw in a Sentence
Noun
Billy the Kid was one of the most famous outlaws of America's early history.
Verb
That type of gun was outlawed last year.
The government passed a bill outlawing the hiring of children under the age of 12.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2024
Blanchett stars as Lilith, the leader of a crew of outlaws on a mission to retrieve treasure from a vault hidden on the planet.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
He is widely known for pioneering and popularizing the outlaw movement, a subgenre that blends country instrumentation with rock rhythms.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024
The would-be comedian, faced with the prospect of becoming an outlaw, invents something called anti-comedy, and rents a warehouse to stage and perform it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
Just after lunch, Baldwin and Hutchins were rehearsing a scene that was meant to be a camera close-up of Baldwin — who was playing a hardened outlaw, Harland Rust — slowly pulling his Colt .45 revolver from his shoulder holster while sitting in a pew in a rustic church.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Depending upon your point of reference, most people know Terry Allen as the west Texas musician behind the conceptual outlaw country albums Juarez and Lubbock, or as the polymath multimedia artist who attended the Chouinard Art Institute and palled around with the Cool School.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
The refuse, fastidiously — almost lyrically — arranged, took on the quiet charisma of a disgraced outlaw.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024
The 2023 show, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, recounts the previously untold story of legendary United States marshal Bass Reeves (played by David Oyelowo), who brought over 3,000 outlaws to justice during his 30-year career.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination | Amy Yurkanin, Al.com, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill — by a wide margin — that would outlaw TikTok in the U.S. unless Chinese parent company ByteDance divests its ownership stake (a scenario experts say is unlikely).
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
The conclusion of the Mexican War revived an issue that was present at the nation’s founding but had lain dormant since: whether slavery could or should be outlawed in the new territories.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024
In 2022, when legislation outlawing gender-affirming medical treatments erupted in mostly red-state legislatures across the land, California enacted a law creating a sanctuary for those whose treatments were blocked by the lawmakers.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Now that the Taliban has taken over again and has even outlawed music, the story hits home even deeper.
—Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite federal laws outlawing marijuana, Washington has largely allowed more than 30 states to legalize and regulate medical or recreational cannabis, for example.
—Jack Healy, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Goats aside, the island is also known for its local LSD bread, which was outlawed in the 1950s, and is a popular tourist stop for sail boats and volcano aficionados, who can see nearby Stromboli’s constant eruptions.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Memorial, a human rights organization outlawed in Russia, has rented offices to update its list of Russian political prisoners.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Noun
An unknown 19th-century outlaw had sprayed a constellation of them into the wall just inside the arched foyer of the Todos Santos Inn, located in the surfing and art oasis (and literal oasis) of the same name between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz.
—Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2024
Blanchett stars as Lilith, the leader of a crew of outlaws on a mission to retrieve treasure from a vault hidden on the planet.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
He is widely known for pioneering and popularizing the outlaw movement, a subgenre that blends country instrumentation with rock rhythms.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024
The would-be comedian, faced with the prospect of becoming an outlaw, invents something called anti-comedy, and rents a warehouse to stage and perform it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
Just after lunch, Baldwin and Hutchins were rehearsing a scene that was meant to be a camera close-up of Baldwin — who was playing a hardened outlaw, Harland Rust — slowly pulling his Colt .45 revolver from his shoulder holster while sitting in a pew in a rustic church.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Depending upon your point of reference, most people know Terry Allen as the west Texas musician behind the conceptual outlaw country albums Juarez and Lubbock, or as the polymath multimedia artist who attended the Chouinard Art Institute and palled around with the Cool School.
—Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024
The refuse, fastidiously — almost lyrically — arranged, took on the quiet charisma of a disgraced outlaw.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024
The 2023 show, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, recounts the previously untold story of legendary United States marshal Bass Reeves (played by David Oyelowo), who brought over 3,000 outlaws to justice during his 30-year career.
—Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024
Verb
In Illinois, lawmakers introduced a proposal to outlaw delta-8 last week.
—John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination | Amy Yurkanin, Al.com, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill — by a wide margin — that would outlaw TikTok in the U.S. unless Chinese parent company ByteDance divests its ownership stake (a scenario experts say is unlikely).
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
The conclusion of the Mexican War revived an issue that was present at the nation’s founding but had lain dormant since: whether slavery could or should be outlawed in the new territories.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024
In 2022, when legislation outlawing gender-affirming medical treatments erupted in mostly red-state legislatures across the land, California enacted a law creating a sanctuary for those whose treatments were blocked by the lawmakers.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Now that the Taliban has taken over again and has even outlawed music, the story hits home even deeper.
—Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite federal laws outlawing marijuana, Washington has largely allowed more than 30 states to legalize and regulate medical or recreational cannabis, for example.
—Jack Healy, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Goats aside, the island is also known for its local LSD bread, which was outlawed in the 1950s, and is a popular tourist stop for sail boats and volcano aficionados, who can see nearby Stromboli’s constant eruptions.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Memorial, a human rights organization outlawed in Russia, has rented offices to update its list of Russian political prisoners.
—Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outlaw.' 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 outlaw
Cite this Entry
“Outlaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlaw. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ 
1
: a person who is not given the protection of the law
2
: a lawless person or one who is running away from the law
3
: an animal (as a horse) that is wild and hard to control
outlaw
adjective
outlaw
2 of 2 verb1
: to deprive of the protection of law
2
: to make illegal
dueling was outlawed
Legal Definition
outlaw
1 of 2 noun
out·law
ˈau̇t-ˌlȯ
1
: a person excluded from the benefit or protection of the law
a trespasser is not an outlaw
2
: a lawless person or a fugitive from the law
3
: a person or organization (as a nation) under a ban or restriction or considered to be in defiance of norms or laws
considered an outlaw for its support of terrorism
Etymology
Noun
Old English ūtlaga, from Old Norse ūtlagi, from ūt out + lag lǫg law
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