English · Word Candidate

outlaw

/ˈaʊt.lɔː/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: outlaws · outlawing · outlawed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A fugitive from the law.

Noun

Examples

“I am going to a certain tower, one of three that were built in my grandsire’s time to guard Lantern Waste against certain perilous outlaws who dwelled there in his day. […]"

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A criminal who is excluded from normal legal rights; one who can be killed at will without legal penalty.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To declare illegal.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To place a ban upon.

Verb

Examples

The legal change in England and Wales will outlaw selling, manufacturing, renting or importing zombie knives.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “outlaw” mean?

A fugitive from the law.

Is “outlaw” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.