international law

noun

: a body of rules that control or affect the rights of nations in their relations with each other

Examples of international law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The monarch is entitled to sovereign immunity under customary international law and according to Australian statutes including the Foreign States Immunities Act 1985 and the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 According to those very international laws, when there are nuclear centers under the inspections and auspices of the IAEA within the NPT framework, no country has the legal right to attack those nuclear centers and sites. — CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Duszczyk said that the world today has changed since the 1950s, when countries recovering from the traumas of World War II created a system of international law, including refugee rights, meant to protect individuals from state violence. — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 The government defended those measures as necessary to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international law. — Efrat Lachter , Brooke Curto, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for international law

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of international law was in 1789

Cite this Entry

“International law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/international%20law. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

Legal Definition

international law

noun
: a body of laws, rules, or legal principles that are based on custom, treaties, or legislation and that control or affect the rights and duties of nations in relation to each other compare internal law

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