illegal amount

USAGE SUMMARY

"illegal amount" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to an amount or quantity that is against the law or rules. Example: The police discovered an illegal amount of drugs in the suspect's car.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In your state it's the lowest measurable illegal amount.

The New York Times - Magazine

After the law was passed, regulators blocked a power plant that would be partly coal-fired, saying it would emit an illegal amount of carbon dioxide.

The New York Times

Moments after George Brett hit a two-out, ninth-inning home run off Goose Gossage in 1983 to give his Kansas City Royals a 5-4 leat at Yankee Stadium, McClelland determined that Brett's bat had an illegal amount of pine tar on its handle and called him out, instantly ending the game and causing Brett to go berserk.

The New York Times - Sports

"So every day, I dumped what I can only imagine was an illegal amount of "blue stuff" down the Massachusetts sewage system," Lo Conte wrote.

BBC

This applies even if it's an illegal amount of alcohol and you're driving/ in a jurisdiction where alcohol is prohibited/ restricted.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

When the car was not being tested it emitted illegal amounts of noxious gas that can cause ozone depletion and respiratory problems.

Independent

In New York state, 205 water systems have broken the law by delivering tap water that contained illegal amounts of bacteria since 2004.

The New York Times

For instance, various audits of Foxconn, which assembles iPhones and iPads for Apple in China, have been heavily criticized for failing to stop child labor, illegal amounts of overtime and dangerous conditions.

The New York Times

Investigations by The New York Times, outside groups and Apple's own supplier responsibility officials have found illegal amounts of overtime, crowded working conditions, under-age workers and improper disposal of hazardous waste.

The New York Times

The deputy found ample ingredients to make methamphetamine inside the truck and arrested Harris for possession of illegal amounts of pseudoephedrine.

Huffington Post

After Volkswagen knowingly cheated emissions standards and manufactured cars that spewed illegal amounts of dangerous pollution, fueled sickening smog, and threatened the health of millions of people, the disgraced company is now offering their misled consumers a buy-back of their polluting vehicles.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "illegal amount", ensure that the context clearly defines what makes the amount illegal. Be specific about the regulation or law being violated.

Common error

Avoid using "illegal amount" without specifying what standard or law is being violated. For example, instead of saying "the company had an illegal amount of waste", specify "the company exceeded the legally permitted amount of waste according to environmental regulations".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "illegal amount" functions as a noun phrase, where "illegal" is an adjective modifying the noun "amount". It indicates a quantity that is prohibited by law or regulation. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is valid and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "illegal amount" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a quantity that violates legal standards. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While relatively rare, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the legal basis for the amount being illegal is clear to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "unlawful quantity" or "prohibited quantity" can be used for variety. Remember to specify the relevant law or regulation for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unlawful quantity

Replaces "illegal" with "unlawful" and "amount" with "quantity", providing a formal tone.

illicit quantity

Uses "illicit" instead of "illegal" to emphasize the forbidden nature.

prohibited quantity

Substitutes "illegal" with "prohibited", focusing on the restriction aspect.

unauthorized amount

Replaces "illegal" with "unauthorized" to highlight the lack of permission.

banned quantity

Uses "banned" instead of "illegal" to stress the prohibition.

excessive illegal quantity

Adds "excessive" to emphasize an exceeding amount, while keeping the focus on legality

unacceptable amount

Replaces "illegal" with "unacceptable", shifting the focus to the unsuitability of the amount.

impermissible quantity

Uses "impermissible" to denote something not allowed, instead of "illegal".

criminal quantity

Emphasizes the criminal aspect of the amount by using "criminal".

outlawed amount

Replaces "illegal" with "outlawed" to further emphasize the illegal act.

FAQs

How can I use "illegal amount" in a sentence?

You can use "illegal amount" to describe something that exceeds the quantity permitted by law, as in "The investigation revealed an "illegal amount" of pollutants being released into the river".

What is a synonym for "illegal amount"?

Alternatives to "illegal amount" include "unlawful quantity", "illicit quantity", or "prohibited quantity" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "illegal amount" or "illegitimate amount"?

"Illegal amount" refers to a quantity that violates a law or regulation. "Illegitimate amount" refers to something that is not genuine or authorized, making "illegal amount" the more precise term when discussing legal violations.

What's the difference between "illegal amount" and "excessive amount"?

"Excessive amount" simply means too much of something, while "illegal amount" specifically refers to an amount that is against the law. An "excessive amount" may not necessarily be illegal, but an "illegal amount" always violates a legal standard.