anti-SLAPP law

noun

an·​ti-SLAPP law ˌan-tē-ˈslap- How to pronounce anti-SLAPP law (audio)
ˌan-tī-
plural anti-SLAPP laws
: a law intended to prevent SLAPP suits
Ken Paulson, who directs the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, said anti-SLAPP laws are like "free-speech insurance." "The key to an anti-SLAPP law is to prevent people with a lot of money and resources from intimidating people from saying anything negative about them," he said.Kim Bellware

Examples of anti-SLAPP law in a Sentence

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.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press notes Indiana's anti-SLAPP law has also been used to defeat cases seeking to chill coverage of a town council meeting, a pharmaceutical safety investigation and a town attorney's comments about another lawyer. Cate Charron, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025 A number of these changes are due to the creation of a standard anti-SLAPP law that was adopted by the Uniform Law Commission — a nonpartisan body of lawyers that help write model legislation for all states — in 2020. Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 26 Aug. 2025 Costner is also seeking to toss out the lawsuit under California’s anti-SLAPP law, measures designed to protect individuals from lawsuits intending to intimidate them from exercising their right to free speech. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025 Costner and his company are seeking to throw out the suit under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which is designed to protect free speech on matters of public concern. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025 Ortiz could assert the anti-SLAPP law as a defense if Miller were to investigate and prosecute her, Leslie said. Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2025 Greenpeace is appealing the decision, hoping to prevail in a more neutral court in one of the 38 states, which unlike North Dakota, have anti-SLAPP laws. Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 This type of retaliatory litigation is precisely what California’s anti-SLAPP laws were enacted to prevent. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025 California’s anti-SLAPP law protects against frivolous lawsuits. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anti-SLAPP law was in 1991

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Cite this Entry

“Anti-SLAPP law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-SLAPP%20law. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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