variants
or less commonly byelaw
1
: a rule adopted by an organization chiefly for the government of its members and the regulation of its affairs
2
: a local ordinance
Examples of bylaw in a Sentence
the club's bylaws bar any member whose annual dues remain unpaid from voting in the election
Recent Examples on the Web
Per Town Council bylaws, the board must have seven to 12 members.
—
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
The board is elected at the annual general meeting and oversees several special advisory groups, committees, and association staff (including a chief executive officer) guided by association bylaws, an annual business plan, and a Strategic Planning Framework.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
The 2026 World Cup is being held on American soil, subject to American law, and sold to American consumers whose legal rights do not yield to FIFA’s statutes and bylaws.
—Corey Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Amend its bylaws to trigger automatic relinquishment of privileges for any physician who violates Texas’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bylaw
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.
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
The board is elected at the annual general meeting and oversees several special advisory groups, committees, and association staff (including a chief executive officer) guided by association bylaws, an annual business plan, and a Strategic Planning Framework.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
The 2026 World Cup is being held on American soil, subject to American law, and sold to American consumers whose legal rights do not yield to FIFA’s statutes and bylaws.
—Corey Martin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Amend its bylaws to trigger automatic relinquishment of privileges for any physician who violates Texas’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bylaw
Cite this Entry
“Bylaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bylaw. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bylaw
noun
by·law
ˈbī-ˌlȯ 
: a rule adopted by an organization for governing its members and regulating its affairs
Etymology
Middle English bilawe "bylaw," probably from an early Norse compound of bȳr "town" and lǫg "law"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
