sharia

noun

sha·​ria shə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce sharia (audio)
variants or less commonly shari'a or shariah or shari'ah, often Sharia
: Islamic law based on the Quran

Examples of sharia 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.
Anthony Hudson, of Grand Blanc, a Republican candidate for governor, then called for a rally in Dearborn on Nov. 18 to stop sharia and protect the rights of Christians. Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 22 Nov. 2025 Under Iran’s sharia, or Islamic law, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes. Parisa Hafezi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2024 The country also operates a sharia system, Islam’s legal system, in parallel with its secular legal system. Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Aug. 2022 Nigeria is a secular nation but some states in the mostly Muslim north observe Islamic sharia and have courts that punish those accused of deviating from its practices. Washington Post, 4 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for sharia

Word History

Etymology

Arabic sharīʽa

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sharia was in 1855

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sharia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sharia. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.

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!