Unlawful is commonly followed by for when describing an action and under when referring to a law or rule. Unlawful in is usually a separate place or context phrase, not a fixed combination.
Use unlawful for before an action or activity: unlawful for minors to gamble. Use unlawful under before the name of a law or legal system: unlawful under federal law. Unlawful in usually introduces a place or situation rather than forming a fixed expression.
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
Use unlawful for before a person, group, or activity affected by the law.
Use unlawful under when referring to the law, code, or regulation that makes something illegal.
In after unlawful usually introduces a place, field, or situation rather than completing the adjective itself.
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Under refers to a law or rule, not the person affected.
✕ It is unlawful under teenagers to vape. ✓ It is unlawful for teenagers to vape.In usually adds place or context information.
✕ The policy is unlawful in the constitution. ✓ The policy is unlawful under the constitution.Use under when naming the law that creates the prohibition.
✕ The action is unlawful for federal law. ✓ The action is unlawful under federal law.Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.
Yes. Use unlawful for plus a person or group: unlawful for minors.
Both mean against the law. Illegal is more common in everyday English, while unlawful often appears in legal or formal contexts.
No. It is natural when in introduces a place or context, such as unlawful in this state.
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