law and order

1 of 2

noun

: the enactment of laws (see law entry 1 sense 1a(1)) and their strict enforcement by police and the courts
He has touted his conservative approach to local government, emphasizing law and order and conservative fiscal policies.Andrew Quintana and Daniela Flamini
But Rucker said Deters' view of law and order can be inconsistent. He pointed to Deters' decision to not pursue charges against former Bengal Adam "Pacman" Jones, who was accused in 2017 of spitting on a jail nurse—a felony crime, Rucker said.Kevin Grasha
also : the safe, civil, and orderly functioning of society viewed especially as a result of the enactment and strict enforcement of laws
"We're looking to you, Councillor, and to the other leading citizens, to help us in upholding law and order in this township." Arthur Conan Doyle
Another thing that impressed itself upon me throughout England was the high regard that all classes have for law and order, and the ease and thoroughness with which everything is done. Booker T. Washington
It is both wrong and dangerous to threaten to deploy American soldiers against American citizens unless there is a complete breakdown of law and order in a state and the governor requests that assistance. William Perry

law-and-order

2 of 2

adjective

law-and-or·​der ˈlȯ-ən(d)-ˈor-dər How to pronounce law-and-order (audio)
: relating to, characterized by, or advocating the enactment of laws and their strict enforcement
All these years, I've thought of Henry Hyde as a law-and-order kind of guy. A real hardnose when it comes to punishing those who break the law.Mike Royko
… all four dissenters were recent appointees of Richard Nixon, who had won the White House with a carefully orchestrated law-and-order campaign.David Oshinsky
Simon Kuper … says the Dutch public is more receptive than ever to law-and-order policies. The murders of Fortuyn in 2002 and Theo van Gogh, a controversial filmmaker in 2004, left the Dutch with a profound fear of chaos and disorder, and a negative self-image.Thijs Niemantsverdriet

Examples of law and order in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The resignation came just days after the State Department requested the Marines to bolster U.S. personnel as armed gang violence has broken down law and order in the Caribbean country. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2024 Neither Israeli troops nor the Hamas police force is on the streets, leaving citizens prey to a dangerous breakdown of law and order. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 Hannah leans on her friends and family to collect the breadcrumbs of foul play and put them together, and meets a different side of law and order when Lake Eden’s prosecuting attorney Chad Norton (Webster) enters her life. Breanne L. Heldman, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Many countries have imposed tougher law and order policies, including longer sentences and more convictions for low-level drug offenses, pushing most of the region’s penitentiaries beyond maximum capacity. Jack Nicas, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 The language of the characters reflects their remoteness, as does their cynicism toward law and order. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Sure, he's played law and order figures before — Saul Berenson on Homeland and Jason Gideon on Criminal Minds. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2024 Others, including agriculture, health, and law and order, are the responsibility of the states. Ramachandra Guha, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The latecomers to the vigil are unlikely allies: two Republicans who favor tough law and order policies. Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Nevertheless, law-and-order advocates across the Americas, including conservatives in America, are hyping the Bukele blueprint as the answer to Latin America’s organized crime pandemic. Tim Padgett, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2024 Then in 2019 the electorate voted in Nayib Bukele on a law-and-order platform. Eduardo Gamarra, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2024 Bolstered by big election night wins, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is already mapping a national 2024 battle plan to knock out liberal prosecutors funded by billionaire liberal George Soros and replace them with law-and-order candidates. Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2023 Not the famously crooked section up over the hill, but the wide gauntlet that jets toward the Golden Gate Bridge through the Marina district: the preppy hood of woo girls and boat guys and early-career Gavin Newsom and largely law-and-order Democrats. Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023 He was given the post of interior minister, the first politician with Communist roots in that law-and-order post. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023 This is clearly reflected in a recent New York Times poll of Republicans, where only 17% supported an anti-woke campaign, while 65% supported a law-and-order campaign. Raymond Scheppach, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2023 But somewhere since his days as a law-and-order mayor, Giuliani appears to have gone over to the dark side. Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2023 The push does not only come from Trump, suggesting how his contentious views toward federal law enforcement have shaped a party that has long promoted itself as the protector of law-and-order. Nicholas Riccardi, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'law and order.' 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

Noun

1575, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of law and order was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near law and order

law agent

law and order

law-and-order

Cite this Entry

“Law and order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law%20and%20order. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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