lawful
/ˈlɔːfl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlɔːfl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlȯ-fəl/ (ame, mw)
lawful — adjective
- lawfulpositive
- more lawfulcomparative
- most lawfulsuperlative
1. approved or allowed by the official rules or legal system of a country.
approved or allowed by the official rules or legal system of a country.
The court decided that the protest was a lawful way to express public concerns.
attributive: lawful + noun (way)
Downloading music from that website is not lawful under current copyright rules.
predicative: be + lawful + under [rule]
Quan asked the lawyer whether his plan to build a garage was lawful.
Marta runs a lawful business that pays all of its taxes on time.
Parents have a lawful duty to make sure their children go to school.
- legal
more common in everyday language; 'lawful' is more formal and restricted to legal/official contexts
- legitimate
adds a sense of moral or logical rightness beyond mere legal permission
- permissible
narrower — refers to what is allowed within a specific set of rules, not necessarily the law of the land
文法句型
lawful + noun (attributive)
be/seem/remain + lawful (predicative)
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal and legal contexts rather than everyday conversation. The negative form 'unlawful' is common in legal writing.
常見錯誤
2. officially recognized by a country's legal system as having rightful authority o
officially recognized by a country's legal system as having rightful authority or a valid claim to something.
After the king's death, his eldest son became the lawful ruler of the kingdom.
collocation: lawful ruler
The house was finally returned to its lawful owner after years of court battles.
collocation: lawful owner
Isabela proved that she was the lawful heir to her grandmother's farm in the mountains.
Only the lawful government can sign treaties or declare war on behalf of the people.
The shareholders voted to restore the company's lawful board of directors.
- rightful
focuses on moral and legal entitlement; interchangeable with 'lawful' in ownership contexts but less common in legal writing
- legitimate
suggests both legal and moral acceptance, often used for governments or authorities
- authorized
emphasizes official permission given by a person or body, not necessarily by law itself
- illegitimate
opposite of legitimate; suggests lack of legal or moral right
- unauthorized
focuses on lack of official permission rather than legal standing
文法句型
lawful + noun (attributive)
be + the + lawful + noun (predicative with article)
用法筆記
Typically used with nouns indicating a person's position or claim: owner, heir, government, ruler, representative. Not used for everyday permissions or actions.
常見錯誤
3. describing a person who follows and respects the laws of a country or community
describing a person who follows and respects the laws of a country or community without breaking them.
Samir has always been a lawful citizen who never gets into trouble with the police.
collocation: lawful citizen
The lawyer told her client to stay lawful and avoid breaking any rules.
predicative: stay + lawful
A lawful driver always stops at red lights and follows the speed limits.
Zuri's family are lawful residents who pay taxes and follow all the local regulations.
The shopkeeper described himself as a lawful businessman who never cheats his customers.
- law-abiding
more common in everyday English for describing people; 'lawful' is more formal
- honest
broader — covers moral behavior beyond just following the law; not limited to legal compliance
- upstanding
adds a sense of moral integrity and social responsibility; more emphatic
文法句型
lawful + noun (person/citizen/resident)
be/remain/stay + lawful (predictive for character)
用法筆記
Describes a person's character or habitual behavior, not a single action. You would say 'a lawful citizen' but not 'a lawful driver' for someone who simply drove safely once.