plural laws
1
a(1)
: a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed (see prescribe sense 1a) or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority
(2)
: the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules
The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
(3)
b(1)
: the control brought about by the existence or enforcement of such law
The Indian government is believed to have detained thousands of other people last year … . The government said the move, decried by critics as draconian, was necessary to maintain law and public order in the region.—
BBC.com
see also law and order
BBC.com
(2)
: the action of laws considered as a means of redressing wrongs
also
: litigation
developed the habit of going to law over the slightest provocation —H. A. Overstreet
H. A. Overstreet
(3)
: the agency of or an agent of established law
When he saw that the fighting was escalating, he called in the law.
c
: a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe
a law of self-preservation
d
: something compatible with or enforceable by established law
The decrees were judged not to be law and were therefore rescinded.
2
a
often capitalized
: the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testament
b
capitalized
: the first part of the Jewish scriptures : pentateuch, torah see Bible Table
3
: a rule of construction or procedure
the laws of poetry
4
: the whole body of laws relating to one subject
criminal law
probate law
5
a
: the legal profession
studied for a career in law
b
: law as a department of knowledge : jurisprudence
c
: legal knowledge
a man with much history but little law
6
a
: a statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions
a law of thermodynamics
Boyle's law
b
: a general relation proved or assumed to hold between mathematical or logical expressions
lawed; lawing; laws
chiefly dialectal
: to sue or prosecute at law
Synonyms
Examples of law in a Sentence
Noun
The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
a lawyer who specializes in criminal law
In our civics class we learned how a bill becomes a law.
She has proposed a new law to protect people from being evicted unfairly.
Schools are required by law to provide a safe learning environment.
The bill will become law at the beginning of the year.
He's been in and out of trouble with the law for the last 10 years.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebSuzy Khimm, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023
The 2015 racist massacre of nine Black members of the Emanuel AME church in Charleston has fueled the push to add a state-level hate crimes law in South Carolina, but some Republican state senators have repeatedly stalled the proposal.
—CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023
The remainder of the refundable portion of the credit would phase in as under current law.
—Elaine Maag, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Soon after taking office, Biden took steps to reinvigorate enforcement of antitrust law.
—H. Claire Brown, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Consider, too, that despite the endurance of previous immigration laws that hamstrung entry of South Asians into America (a restriction Sabu was able to bypass because of his affiliation with Korda), aspects of the region’s culture came into sudden vogue during that period.
—Hazlitt, 29 Nov. 2023
Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto A law designed to protect patients from surprise medical bills is contributing to the financial distress of some medical-service providers, which say lengthy billing disputes and payment delays with insurers are hurting their ability to stay afloat.
—Soma Biswas, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2023
Along with other charges, Thug stands accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a law based on the more famous federal RICO statute that’s been used to target the mafia, drug cartels and other forms of organized crime.
—Jewel Wicker, Billboard, 28 Nov. 2023
Such meetings are required by law and are often uninteresting formalities.
—Paul Glader, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Federal officials want to repeal a law that delayed warnings about dangerous products.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023
The 2015 racist massacre of nine Black members of the Emanuel AME church in Charleston has fueled the push to add a state-level hate crimes law in South Carolina, but some Republican state senators have repeatedly stalled the proposal.
—CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023
The remainder of the refundable portion of the credit would phase in as under current law.
—Elaine Maag, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Soon after taking office, Biden took steps to reinvigorate enforcement of antitrust law.
—H. Claire Brown, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Consider, too, that despite the endurance of previous immigration laws that hamstrung entry of South Asians into America (a restriction Sabu was able to bypass because of his affiliation with Korda), aspects of the region’s culture came into sudden vogue during that period.
—Hazlitt, 29 Nov. 2023
Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto A law designed to protect patients from surprise medical bills is contributing to the financial distress of some medical-service providers, which say lengthy billing disputes and payment delays with insurers are hurting their ability to stay afloat.
—Soma Biswas, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2023
Along with other charges, Thug stands accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a law based on the more famous federal RICO statute that’s been used to target the mafia, drug cartels and other forms of organized crime.
—Jewel Wicker, Billboard, 28 Nov. 2023
Such meetings are required by law and are often uninteresting formalities.
—Paul Glader, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '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
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lǫg law; akin to Old English licgan to lie — more at lie
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Verb
circa 1550, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of law was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing law
Dictionary Entries Near law
Cite this Entry
“Law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
law
nounˈlȯ
1
a
: a rule of conduct or action laid down and enforced by the supreme governing authority (as the legislature) of a community or established by custom
b
: the whole collection of such rules
the law of the land
c
: the control brought about by enforcing rules
forces of law and order
d
: trial in a court to decide what is just and right according to the laws
go to law
e
: an agent or agency for enforcing laws
2
capitalized
: the first part of the Jewish scriptures compare hagiographa, prophets
3
: a basic rule or principle
the laws of poetry
4
a
: the profession of a lawyer
b
: the branch of knowledge that deals with laws and their interpretation and application
study law
5
: a rule or principle stating something that always works in the same way under the same conditions
the law of gravity
Medical Definition
law
noun
: a statement of order or relation holding for certain phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions
Legal Definition
law
noun1
: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority: as
a
: a command or provision enacted by a legislature see also statute sense 1
b
: something (as a judicial decision) authoritatively accorded binding or controlling effect in the administration of justice
that case is no longer the law of this circuit
2
a
: a body of laws
the law of a state
broadly
: laws and justice considered as a general and established entity
the law looks with disfavor on restraints on alienation
b
: common law compare equity sense 2
3
a
: the control or authority of the law
maintain law and order
b
: one or more agents or agencies involved in enforcing laws
c
: the application of a law or laws as distinct from considerations of fact
an error of law
see also issue of law at issue, matter of law at matter, question of law at question sense 2
4
: the whole body of laws and doctrines relating to one subject
contract law
the law of attractive nuisance
5
a
: the legal profession
practice law
b
: the nature, use, and effects of laws and legal systems as an area of knowledge or society
the politics of law
compare jurisprudence
Etymology
Noun
Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin
Biographical Definition
Law
2 of 4biographical name (2)
Edward 1750–1818 1st Baron
Ellenborough
ˈe-lən-ˌbər-ə 
-ˌbə-rə,
-brə
English jurist
Law
3 of 4biographical name (3)
John 1671–1729 Scottish financier and speculator
Law
4 of 4biographical name (4)
William 1686–1761 English writer
More from Merriam-Webster on law
Nglish: Translation of law for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of law for Arabic Speakers
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