noun · formal
law
/lɔː/LAW
Band 6-7task2speaking
rules made and enforced by a society or government; with -less = lacking law or order
Examples
“Some frontier towns in history were effectively lawless.”
“Citizens must obey the law.”
“lawless behaviour”
Band 8 sentence
“In the absence of adequate policing, certain districts became effectively lawless, fostering crime and impunity.”
Collocations
- lawless area
- lawful authority
Word family
law nlawful adjlawlessly advlawless adj
Common mistakes
Lawless area is dangerous.→A lawless area is dangerous.
They live in lawless.→They live in a lawless area.
Say it for a higher band
5no law→6without law→7+lawless
Synonyms
unregulated
anarchic
Easily confused
lawful
“The protesters insisted their actions were lawful.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In -ful / -less
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