What does outlawing mean?
Outlawing is the act of making a person, group, organization, practice, or other thing illegal, or of excluding it from the protection of the law. In contemporary usage, it most often describes government action against practices considered harmful, such as discrimination, exploitation, or particular forms of commerce. The expression “the outlawing of something” emphasizes the legal act of prohibition. In its older and more dramatic sense, a person can be outlawed, meaning that they are declared beyond the protection of ordinary law and may be treated as enemies of the state. As a form of the verb outlaw, the word can describe either formally banishing a person from legal protection or making a practice illegal. The term is usually neutral or approving when referring to sound public policy, though historical contexts involving outlawry may carry stronger associations of persecution and lawlessness.
The act of declaring a person, group, organization, or practice illegal or placing it outside the protection of the law.
"The measure resulted in the outlawing of several forms of exploitation."
Common in the expression “the outlawing of something.”
The present participle of outlaw, meaning to declare someone outside the protection of the law or to make something illegal.
"The legislation outlaws discrimination in public accommodations."
This form is normally used with a direct object, as in “outlawing a practice.”
To outlaw something is to remove its legal protection—a prohibition that can apply to practices as well as people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outlawing come from?
The word combines the Old English legal term “law” with the Germanic prefix meaning “out,” producing an image of exclusion from legal protection. The related verb “outlaw” developed in medieval English, initially referring to a person placed outside the protection of the law. By the 19th century, “outlaw” had broadened to include prohibited practices and activities, and “outlawing” developed from its verbal use.
How outlawing is actually used
The noun is most often encountered in the fixed expression “the outlawing of something.” As a verb form, it is commonly followed by a direct object: “outlawing discrimination.”
Easily confused with outlawing
An outlaw is a person who has been declared outside the protection of the law, whereas outlawing is the act of making someone or something illegal.