outside the law
Beyond legal boundaries
Outside the law describes actions, people, or situations not governed or protected by legal systems.
An outlaw operates outside the law—beyond its reach or recognition.
The phrase can suggest criminality, but also contexts where law simply doesn't apply: In the frontier territories, settlers lived largely outside the law.
Someone placed outside the law has no legal protections or recourse.
- vigilantismExtralegal enforcement by civilians
- banditArmed roadside thief
- crimePunishable illegal act
- organized crimeStructured illegal enterprise
- crime bossLeader of criminal organization
prohibition era · theft · breaking and entering · black market · hacktivism · rogue · Wild West · fugitive · off the grid · scofflaw · fraud · dissident · underground economy · extrajudicial · rebel · anarchist · guerrilla warfare · whistleblowing
outside the lawlawful
Permitted by statute
legal · within the law · legitimate · law-abiding · licit
outside the lawlegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
respectable · official · recognized · mainstream · accepted
outside, lawful, lawless, outlaw, outlaws, outlawed, outlawry, outsider, outer