Lawful/ˈlɔːfl/ Definition 1 of 4Pro Tip 1/2Government Approval Focus on activities that have been explicitly allowed by the state or governing bodies. Her business operates under lawful regulations. Pro Tip 2/2Common Misuse "Lawful" doesn't always mean moral; some actions can be legal but still ethically questionable. He used lawful loopholes to pay less tax.