OUTLAW Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

outlaw 1 of 2

verb

Definition of outlaw

as in to ban

to make or declare contrary to the law a push to outlaw smoking in all public buildings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to prohibit

to order not to do or use or to be done or used fed up with the constant interruptions, the physician has outlawed all cell phone use from his office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

outlaw

2 of 2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of outlaw

Verb

Some leagues will require the same number of players to switch teams, essentially outlawing a 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 exchange. — Sports Betting, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 On the national level, lawmakers have proposed bipartisan legislation that would outlaw seclusion and further limit restraint in schools that receive federal funding. — CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Noun

And owner Al Davis, who once sued the NFL and moved the franchise multiple times to the chagrin of his fellow owners, embraced the outlaw image. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The outlaw country legend issued a rallying cry across his social media channels on Tuesday, sharing a statement that condemns rapidly escalating data center construction across the United States. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for outlaw

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlaw

Verb

And earlier this year, the nation’s second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified, banned in-school screen use for students in preschool through first grade and curbed screen time for older students.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Walruses were once hunted in vast numbers, for their blubber, hides and ivory, driving them close to extinction in Svalbard’s waters, before hunting was banned in 1952.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of ban

Verb

The law is aimed at prohibiting children from obtaining books and movies with obscene content.

— Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Other efforts to battle the practice Maryland was the first in the country to prohibit large grocery stores and delivery services from using personal data to set prices for specific customers.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of prohibit

Noun

Analysts warn each ransom payment fuels more crime as armed groups, from rural bandits to Islamist militants, raid schools, mosques and villages, with an average of 21 kidnappings reported daily.

— Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
The Brigands of Rattlecreek follows a sheriff and a doctor who seek revenge against a group of bandits who use the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and terrorize the occupants of a small town.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of bandit

Verb

The militarized cities and the unconstitutional laws that criminalize dissent betray the fear of a dehumanizing system faced with the strength of a conscious and determined community.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Iranian politicians are divided over a move by the country’s parliament to approve a bill that would criminalize communications with media outlets deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of criminalize

Verb

Basis for the suit to illegalize the union, lawyers explained, is the difference in race between the participants.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, sandiegouniontribune.com, 28 Feb. 2018
Rather than negotiating a political agreement, Madrid decided to illegalize Basque political parties allegedly linked with terrorism and to prosecute their leaders.

— Sergi Pardos-Prado, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2017

Definition of illegalize

Noun

Speaking of singing pirates, Curry clearly fancied these kinds of roles, signing on to play the villainous Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Brian Henson’s musical adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
That is up from Politico’s report that Somali pirates had seized at least three tankers carrying oil and fertilizer since April, while a chemical-carrying ship was hijacked off Yemen in July.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of pirate

Browse Nearby Words

outlasts

outlaw

outlawed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Outlaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlaw. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of outlaw

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes