unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed ˌən-ˈlī-sᵊn(t)st 

: not licensed: such as

a

: not authorized or permitted by a license

unlicensed merchandise

an unlicensed firearm

the unlicensed reproduction of books

b

: operating without a license

unlicensed vendors

an unlicensed electrician

unlicensed brokers

unlicensed drivers

Examples of unlicensed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Robinson and his team continue to navigate shifts in a brave new world by striking groundbreaking deals with AI music heavyweights and ensuring companies cease training on unlicensed works. — Claudia Rosenbaum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

In March, the city repealed criminal penalties against unlicensed vendors, leaving enforcement up to the Department of Sanitation and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. — Daniel Edward Rosen, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

The technology is a hot-button topic across the music industry in 2026, as generative AI music companies such as Suno face countless lawsuits and complaints from artists claiming their models are trained on unlicensed music. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026

The popularity of unlicensed apparel, though, is not just driven by convenience and affordability; consumers, especially younger ones, also find the anti-establishment ethos of bootleg merch appealing. — Matt Martell, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unlicensed

• licenced
• licensed

Medical Definition

unlicensed

adjective

un·​li·​censed

variants or chiefly British unlicenced

-ˈlīs-ᵊn(t)st

: not licensed

especially, of a drug : not approved for use by the appropriate regulating authority (as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States)