judicial review

noun

1
2
: a constitutional doctrine that gives to a court system the power to annul legislative or executive acts which the judges declare to be unconstitutional

Examples of judicial review 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.
There is no warrant requirement, no judicial review of individual requests, and no statutory bar on presidential direction of unmasking for political purposes. Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026 Reshelve the titles that a federal court ruled were wrongly removed and apply the legal standard that survived judicial review — Florida’s already-existing obscenity laws. Jacob Crainic, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026 In an 8-1 decision, the court found the ban regulates speech based on viewpoint and sent the case back to a lower appeals court to reassess its ruling using strict scrutiny, the highest standard of judicial review for issues related to the First Amendment. Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026 The judge noted that these circumstances raise significant due process concerns, particularly given the lack of a hearing or judicial review prior to his removal. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for judicial review

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of judicial review was in 1771

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Judicial review.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judicial%20review. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

Legal Definition

judicial review

noun
1
: review
2
: a constitutional doctrine that gives to a court system the power to annul legislative or executive acts which the judges declare to be unconstitutional
also : the process of using this power see also checks and balances, Marbury v. Madison

More from Merriam-Webster on judicial review

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster