marital

adjective

mar·​i·​tal ˈmer-ə-tᵊl How to pronounce marital (audio)
ˈma-rə-
Synonyms of maritalnext
1
: of or relating to marriage or the married state
marital vows
2
archaic : of or relating to a husband and his role in marriage
maritally adverb

Examples of marital in a Sentence

They've been having marital problems. neither of them ever forgot their marital vows, no matter how hard things sometimes got
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If a couple buys a house together that’s going to be their marital residence, for example, a prenup may specify who owns it and how. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 1 July 2026 Post-1776, coverture laws made married women legally invisible, granting men absolute marital authority. Patricia Fersch, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 In some cases, spouses may share responsibility for medical or long-term care expenses depending on state law, marital property rules and how the debt was incurred. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Coincidentally or not, that pained study of marital dissolution, co-starring Jolie’s then-husband Brad Pitt, intersected with the couple’s real-life breakup — not to mention Jolie’s grief over the death of her mother, Marcheline Bertrand. Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for marital

Word History

Etymology

Latin maritalis, from maritus married

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of marital was in 1603

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Marital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marital. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

marital

adjective
mar·​i·​tal ˈmar-ət-ᵊl How to pronounce marital (audio)
: of or relating to marriage : conjugal
maritally adverb

Legal Definition

marital

adjective
mar·​i·​tal ˈmar-ət-ᵊl How to pronounce marital (audio)
: of or relating to marriage or the married state

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