How to pronounce unlawful
Say it like un-LAW-ful. Unlawful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce unlawful. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- un
- LAW
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Unlawful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LAWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of unlawful
American and British speakers say unlawful in essentially the same way: /ənˈlɔfəl/ in the US and /ʌnˈlɔːfəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: un-LAW-ful.
What does unlawful mean?
- not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention“an unconventional marriage”“improper banking practices”
- contrary to or prohibited by or defiant of law“unlawful measures”“unlawful money”
- not morally right or permissible“unlawful love”
Where does unlawful come from?
From Middle English unlawful; equivalent to un- + lawful.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with unlawful
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of unlawful.
Questions about saying unlawful
How do you pronounce unlawful?
Say un-LAW-ful. The American pronunciation is /ənˈlɔfəl/. In British English it is /ʌnˈlɔːfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in unlawful?
Unlawful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAW). Broken into parts: un · LAW · ful.
Do Americans and Brits say unlawful the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ənˈlɔfəl/ and the British form is /ʌnˈlɔːfəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.