as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
had a long history of using illicit drugs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illicit
The infamous dark web marketplace served as a global hub for illicit drug sales that prosecutors said had contributed to the death of at least six people.
—
Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025
Once on the Silk Road, users could use Bitcoin to buy drugs, guns, or other illicit goods.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025
In its nearly three years of existence, Silk Road, which operated in a shady corner of the internet known as the dark web, became an international drug marketplace, facilitating more than 1.5 million transactions, including sales of heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances.
—David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Though police and prosecutors in at least two counties have joined forces to aggressively tackle the illicit drug together, few agencies in the rest of the region have made investigating fentanyl deaths a priority, the Star found.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for illicit 
Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025
Once on the Silk Road, users could use Bitcoin to buy drugs, guns, or other illicit goods.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025
In its nearly three years of existence, Silk Road, which operated in a shady corner of the internet known as the dark web, became an international drug marketplace, facilitating more than 1.5 million transactions, including sales of heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances.
—David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Though police and prosecutors in at least two counties have joined forces to aggressively tackle the illicit drug together, few agencies in the rest of the region have made investigating fentanyl deaths a priority, the Star found.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for illicit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illicit
Adjective
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
The aim was to see how institutions — both public and private — would react to a president giving unlawful or unethical orders.—
Byron Tau,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
-
He was charged with second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
We are told that the goal is to deport immigrants who have committed criminal acts.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2025
-
Trump's directive gives all federal agencies a 60-day window to identify civil and criminal authorities available to combat antisemitism and deport anti-Jewish activists who broke any laws.—
Fox News Staff,
Fox News,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near illicit
Cite this Entry
“Illicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illicit. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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