against the law

against the law — idiom

1. not legal; describes an action that breaks a country's official rules and can re

1.idiomB1
Definition

not legal; describes an action that breaks a country's official rules and can result in punishment

Example

In most countries, driving a car without a licence is against the law.

The officer told Diego that fishing here without a permit is against the law.

Common collocations
  • strictly against the law
  • become against the law
  • declare something against the law
Synonyms
  • illegal

    more formal and versatile; the standard term in legal and everyday contexts

  • unlawful

    very formal; used mainly in legal documents and court rulings

  • illicit

    implies moral wrongdoing or secrecy beyond just breaking the law

Antonyms
  • legal

    permitted by the law

  • lawful

    formal term meaning 'allowed by the law'

Grammar Patterns

it is against the law to + verb

Usage Note

More conversational than 'illegal'; used more often in everyday speech. 'Against the law' describes specific actions (stealing, parking illegally), not abstract states — for those, use 'illegal' or 'unlawful.'

Common Mistakes

It is against the law that you park here.
It is against the law to park here.
Use 'against the law + to-infinitive,' not 'against the law + that-clause.'
He against the law by speeding.
He broke the law by speeding.
'Against the law' is an adjective phrase; it cannot be used as a verb. Use 'break the law' for the action.

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

'Against the law' is the most conversational way to say something is illegal. Use it in everyday speech when explaining rules to a child or describing common offences. 'Illegal' is the neutral term for all contexts — it works in conversation and in formal writing. 'Unlawful' is more formal and legalistic; you see it in court rulings and legal documents. 'Illicit' carries a strong moral judgment — it describes something not just illegal but also socially condemned or done in secret (illicit drugs, an illicit relationship). 'Criminal' is narrower: it only applies to actions that can lead to criminal charges, not civil matters. So parking on double yellow lines is against the law, but it is not criminal.

illegal ↗unlawful ↗illicit ↗criminal ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The phrase combines 'against' (in opposition to) with 'the law' (the system of official rules in a country). It began as a literal spatial metaphor — standing 'against' or in opposition to the law — and by the 14th century it had settled into its modern meaning of 'illegal.' Unlike many legal terms that came through French after the Norman Conquest, 'against the law' is built from everyday Old English roots, which is part of why it still feels more conversational than its Latinate synonyms.