illegalità
/il.le.ɡa.liˈta/feminine
The English phrase lawlessness can be translated into Italian as illegalità. Wiktionary also lists Far West.
Meaning: lack of law and order (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| illegalità | /il.le.ɡa.liˈta/ | feminine |
| Far West | /ˈfar ˈwɛst/ | masculine |
The term is used to describe a lack of law and order.
Which one should you use?
While illegalità refers to the abstract concept of illegality or lawlessness, Far West is used colloquially to describe a situation or place that is chaotic and lacks any real authority.
How does it change in a sentence?
illegalità is a feminine noun. It can be used as a singular concept for lawlessness or illegality, or as a plural noun meaning illegalities.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 5th syllable: /il.le.ɡa.liˈta/.
Did you know?
- The term Far West is borrowed directly from English without any translation or phonetic adaptation, remaining exactly as it is written in English.
- While 'Far West' refers to the American frontier, Italians use Far West to describe any chaotic situation, such as a disorganized traffic jam or a messy office environment.
- In Italian political discourse, illegalità is often paired with impunità to describe a system where laws exist but are systematically ignored without punishment.
Examples in context
- La riunione è stata caratterizzata dall'illegalità, con atti di violazione della legge.The gathering was characterized by lawlessness, with acts of violation of the law.
- Alla fine del concerto, c'era un po' di anarchia tra la folla.At the end of the concert, there was a bit of lawlessness among the crowd.
- Dopo l'abbandono dell'autorità, la città è piombata nel caos e nel disordine più totale.After the abandonment of authority, the city plunged into chaos and complete lawlessness.
- L'illegalità in quella zona è preoccupante.The lawlessness in that area is worrying.
- Dobbiamo combattere l'illegalità con fermezza.We must fight lawlessness with firmness.
- L'illegalità cresce se le leggi non sono rispettate.Lawlessness grows if laws are not respected.
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are discussing the state of a neighborhood.
- GiuliaLorenzo, guarda che confusione in centro!Lorenzo, look at the chaos downtown!
- LorenzoSì, ormai regna l'illegalità in queste strade.Yes, lawlessness reigns in these streets now.
- GiuliaÈ davvero preoccupante per tutti noi.It is truly worrying for all of us.
- LorenzoSperiamo che la situazione migliori presto.Let's hope the situation improves soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lawlessness” translations and entries illegalità, Far West, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Far West, illegalità, west, CC BY-SA 4.0.
