natural law

noun

: a body of law or a specific principle held to be derived from nature and binding upon human society in the absence of or in addition to positive law

Examples of natural law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Gin, citrus, simple syrup, and basil—its inherent deliciousness is so evident to bartenders and non-bartenders alike as to approach something like a natural law. —

Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2023 Though not exactly in vogue in the academy these days, natural law is an objective and reliable framework, the idea being that the moral claims of any creature are evident in its nature. —

Matthew Scully, National Review, 2 Jan. 2023 The book proceeds, however, to discuss the relationship between natural law and constitutional adjudication. —

Christian Schneider, National Review, 22 June 2023 Events in Ukraine also remind us that world order is not a product of natural law or moral inevitability. —

Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2023 The company has already defied the natural laws of business. —

Gerrit De Vynck, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Apr. 2023 The prior order that natural law detects is not a strictly religious assumption. —

Matthew Scully, National Review, 2 Jan. 2023 What Sproul and other theologians argued, or perhaps at least hoped, was that what scientists perceived as chance merely reflected a lack of knowledge of the true causes of events, that is, God’s intervention or some other undiscovered natural law ordained by God. —

Sean B. Carroll, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2020 In a world ruled by the precepts of natural law and honor, Shannon would have had the right to stand up, grab this bum by the collar, and throw him through a plate glass window. —

Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'natural 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

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of natural law was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Natural law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20law. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

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Legal Definition

natural law

noun

: a body of law or a specific principle of law that is held to be derived from nature and binding upon human society in the absence of or in addition to positive law

Note: While natural law, based on a notion of timeless order, does not receive as much credence as it did formerly, it was an important influence on the enumeration of natural rights by Thomas Jefferson and others.