higher law
noun
: a principle of divine or moral law that is considered to be superior to constitutions and enacted legislation
Examples of higher law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sister Megan Rice and her compatriots, Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed, declared this an act of protest and love in the service of a higher law, but the incident prompted a two-week shutdown of the facility, and they were charged and convicted of intending to endanger the national defense.
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Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2021
Measured against the sweep of Anglo-American legal history, judicial review—the power of unelected judges to invalidate, as contrary to higher law, an act of the legislature—was a radical development.
—Raymond Kethledge, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2021
This was expected; such sanctuary was understood purely as moral confrontation, proclaiming a righteous and sheltering higher law.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, The New York Review of Books, 3 Nov. 2020
No call for revenge, or for putting history on trial; only an appeal to a higher law.
—Olivier Rolin, The New York Review of Books, 7 Oct. 2020
Apocalypse has exposed human ruthlessness and set it loose as the highest law.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020
The Bible, which, for the devout, is a higher law than the Romans or the Constitution, says, Thou shalt not kill.
—Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
So, too, must be praise and blame. That the highest law in the land outlines this arrangement is, by itself, reason enough to demand it be followed to the letter.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
Those looking to unseat the first black woman to hold the county's highest law enforcement position, have blasted her handling of the matter as haphazard and indecisive.
—Don Babwin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Feb. 2020
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Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2021
Measured against the sweep of Anglo-American legal history, judicial review—the power of unelected judges to invalidate, as contrary to higher law, an act of the legislature—was a radical development.
—Raymond Kethledge, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2021
This was expected; such sanctuary was understood purely as moral confrontation, proclaiming a righteous and sheltering higher law.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, The New York Review of Books, 3 Nov. 2020
No call for revenge, or for putting history on trial; only an appeal to a higher law.
—Olivier Rolin, The New York Review of Books, 7 Oct. 2020
Apocalypse has exposed human ruthlessness and set it loose as the highest law.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020
The Bible, which, for the devout, is a higher law than the Romans or the Constitution, says, Thou shalt not kill.
—Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
So, too, must be praise and blame. That the highest law in the land outlines this arrangement is, by itself, reason enough to demand it be followed to the letter.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
Those looking to unseat the first black woman to hold the county's highest law enforcement position, have blasted her handling of the matter as haphazard and indecisive.
—Don Babwin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Feb. 2020
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'higher law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1593, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near higher law
Cite this Entry
“Higher law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/higher%20law. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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