Definition

1. Noun:
   • The state or condition of being illegal; unlawful quality or character: "Illegality" refers to the fact of being against the law or not legal.
   • An illegal act; a violation of law: "Illegality" can also refer to a specific act that is against the law.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The court focused on the illegality of the contract, not its fairness. (The court's examination was on the contract's unlawful nature.)
  • The police are investigating several alleged illegalities in the company's financial reports. (The police are looking into several specific alleged unlawful acts.)

Advanced Usage

• "Question the illegality of": To challenge or dispute whether something is unlawful.
  • The defense lawyer will question the illegality of the evidence collection method.
• "Inherent illegality": An unlawful quality that is a fundamental, inseparable part of something.
  • The judge ruled that the agreement had an inherent illegality, making it void.

Variants and Related Words

• Illegal (adj): Not allowed by law; unlawful.
  • Parking here is illegal.
• Illegally (adv): In a way that is against the law.
  • He entered the country illegally.

Synonyms

• Unlawfulness: The state of being contrary to or forbidden by law.
• Illicitness: The quality of being not permitted by law, rule, or custom.

Antonyms

• Legality: The quality or state of being in accordance with the law.
• Lawfulness: The quality of being allowed or recognized by law.

Related Phrases

• Matter of illegality: An issue concerning whether something is against the law.
  • The case turned on a matter of illegality.
• Taint of illegality: A trace or suggestion that something is unlawful.
  • The transaction was viewed with suspicion due to a taint of illegality.

Noun

1. unlawfulness by virtue of violating some legal statute