Lawful
What it means
Permitted by the rules of a valid legal system.
Reach for it when making the limited claim that an act, status, or authority is legally allowed
The tenants organized a lawful demonstration outside the council chamber.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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playful
Fits when informal reassurance about honest openness is wanted
Careful Aboveboard is not a substitute for legal verification.
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everyday
Fits when the simplest neutral term for compliance with law fits
Careful Legal can sound technical and may not carry lawful's sense of proper authority.
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professional
authorized
Fits when a person or body has granted explicit permission
Careful Authorized action may violate a higher law or exceed the grant's validity.
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professional
Fits when valid standing or reasonable justification matters
Careful Something can be legitimate in public judgment before the law recognizes it.
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formal
permissible
Fits when rules allow the action without necessarily endorsing it
Careful Permissible may refer to etiquette or policy rather than law.
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formal
Fits when a document, claim, or process meets binding requirements
Careful Valid is too broad for conduct whose legality is the question.
Opposites 3
- unlawful
- illegal
- prohibited
Common phrases 3
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lawful authority
Only the lawful authority could approve the protected-land permit.
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lawful purpose
The records may be used solely for a lawful purpose.
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lawful protest
A lawful protest filled the square without blocking emergency access.
Word family 2
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated