lawbreaking
Violating the rules
Lawbreaking is the act of violating laws—committing crimes or offenses.
The word functions as both noun and adjective: a history of lawbreaking, lawbreaking behavior.
It's a straightforward compound that emphasizes the transgressive act itself rather than any particular crime.
Violation of rights
- breachBreaking of agreement
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- contraventionAct violating a rule
- infractionMinor rule breach
trespass · offense · flouting · overstepping · encroachment · misconduct · delict · nonobservance
Serious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
embezzlement · arson · assault · kidnapping · homicide · larceny · robbery · vandalism
Open resistance to authority
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
nonconformity · dissent · unruliness · contumacy · obstinacy · refusal · indiscipline
Organized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- mutinyRevolt against authority
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
sedition · subversion · revolution · riot · overthrow · insurgency · guerrilla · resistance fighter
Prohibited by law
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- bootlegIllegally produced goods
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- bannedOfficially disallowed
black-market · under-the-table · clandestine · criminalized · unlicensed · prohibited · forbidden · smuggled
Public expression of disapproval
- sit-inProtest by remaining seated
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- noncooperationRefusing to work together
satyagraha · suffragette · Thoreau · demonstration · march · Rosa Parks · Gandhi · conscientious objector
Confinement in jail
- sentencingImposing legal punishment
- finesMonetary sanctions or particles
- probationSupervised trial period
- paroleConditional early release
imprisonment · detention · penalties · sanctions · restitution · correctional · rehabilitation · community service
Absence of governing rules
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- disorderAbsence of organization
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
pandemonium · havoc · unrest · statelessness · anarchism
infringement
Violation of rights
- breachBreaking of agreement
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- contraventionAct violating a rule
infraction · trespass · offense · flouting · overstepping · encroachment · misconduct · delict · nonobservance · disregard
felony
Serious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
fraud · embezzlement · arson · assault · kidnapping · homicide · larceny · robbery · vandalism · shoplifting
defiance
Open resistance to authority
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
resistance · nonconformity · dissent · unruliness · contumacy · obstinacy · refusal · indiscipline
uprising
Organized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- mutinyRevolt against authority
coup · sedition · subversion · revolution · riot · overthrow · insurgency · guerrilla · resistance fighter · partisan
illicit
Prohibited by law
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- bootlegIllegally produced goods
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
banned · black-market · under-the-table · clandestine · criminalized · unlicensed · prohibited · forbidden · smuggled
protest
Public expression of disapproval
noncooperation · satyagraha · suffragette · Thoreau · demonstration · march · Rosa Parks · Gandhi · conscientious objector
incarceration
Confinement in jail
- sentencingImposing legal punishment
- finesMonetary sanctions or particles
- probationSupervised trial period
parole · imprisonment · detention · penalties · sanctions · restitution · correctional · rehabilitation · community service · custody
lawlessness
Absence of governing rules
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- disorderAbsence of organization
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
mayhem · pandemonium · havoc · unrest · statelessness · anarchism
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- defiancedefiance, disobedience, insubordination, noncompliance, rebellion
- violationsviolation, infractions, infraction, breach, consent violation
- deviancedeviance, perversion, perversity, aberration, abnormality
- lawlessnessanarchy, chaos, disorder, crime, criminality
- transgressionstransgression, violation, misconduct, wrongdoing, offense
lawbreakinglaw-abiding
Following established rules
compliance · lawfulness · obedience · conformity · legality
lawbreakingrighteousness
Moral correctness or virtue
virtue · virtuousness · morality · goodness · uprightness
lawbreakinginnocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
guiltlessness · blamelessness · faultlessness · irreproachability · impeccability
break, breaking, outlaw, lawful, lawless, unlawful, breaker, outlawed, lawbreaker