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View synonyms for

illicit

[ ih-lis-it ]

adjective

  1. not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful.

    Synonyms: ,

  2. disapproved of or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons.


illicit

/ ɪˈɪɪ /

adjective

  1. another word for illegal
  2. not allowed or approved by common custom, rule, or standard

    illicit sexual relations

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٱ, adverb
  • illicitness, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ··· adverb
  • ···Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of illicit1

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin illicitus, equivalent to il- 2 + licit ( def )
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Compare Meanings

How does illicit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Synonym Study

See illegal.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The Foreign Office said sanctions on members of the former Assad regime and those involved in the illicit trade in the drug Captagon would remain.

From

It is a key custodian for Tether, a crypto platform with the most widely used stablecoin in the world that has faced persistent scrutiny over its reserve transparency and alleged use in illicit finance.

From

Classified as illicit or non-compliant vapes, the products he will be searching for today fail to meet the legal requirements for sale in the UK.

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About 70% of inmates on the main A and B units of the prison said it was easy to get illicit drugs.

From

The Trump administration has claimed that "many shippers" in China "hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents of shipments sent to the US through deceptive shipping practices".

From

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