the letter of the law
noun phrase
: exactly what the law says
They seem to be more concerned with obeying the letter of the law than with understanding the spirit of the law.
Examples of the letter of the law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Which are going above and beyond regulatory requirements as opposed to just adhering to the letter of the law?
—
Matt Kunkel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
But there were genuine differences of opinion on the letter of the law, which is called 620I [a section of the Foreign Assistance Act], and whether that criteria had been triggered.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024
In doing so, Lynch—who has since revealed that the NFL taxed him upwards of $1.2 million for his refusal to engage with the press—obeyed the letter of the law while going all Father Merrin on the spirit of the thing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Sep. 2024
While that is indeed the letter of the law, the court may extend the bankruptcy timeframe by as many as 300 days.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2024
This ousting, although within the letter of the law, was unprecedented.
—Gina Tam, Foreign Affairs, 15 Sep. 2017
Yet Goldman predicted that Congress is likely to undercut the spirit of Section 230, if not the letter of the law, regardless of who is in the Oval Office.
—Will Oremus, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2024
Noel’s character is more interested in what’s right than sticking to the letter of the law.
—Essence, 29 July 2024
Ethics experts say that the judges’ interpretation of the rules may often lie within the letter of the law, but at the expense of its spirit.
—Noah Pransky, ProPublica, 16 July 2024
Matt Kunkel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
But there were genuine differences of opinion on the letter of the law, which is called 620I [a section of the Foreign Assistance Act], and whether that criteria had been triggered.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024
In doing so, Lynch—who has since revealed that the NFL taxed him upwards of $1.2 million for his refusal to engage with the press—obeyed the letter of the law while going all Father Merrin on the spirit of the thing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Sep. 2024
While that is indeed the letter of the law, the court may extend the bankruptcy timeframe by as many as 300 days.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2024
This ousting, although within the letter of the law, was unprecedented.
—Gina Tam, Foreign Affairs, 15 Sep. 2017
Yet Goldman predicted that Congress is likely to undercut the spirit of Section 230, if not the letter of the law, regardless of who is in the Oval Office.
—Will Oremus, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2024
Noel’s character is more interested in what’s right than sticking to the letter of the law.
—Essence, 29 July 2024
Ethics experts say that the judges’ interpretation of the rules may often lie within the letter of the law, but at the expense of its spirit.
—Noah Pransky, ProPublica, 16 July 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the letter of the law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the letter of the law
the letter of the law
Cite this Entry
“The letter of the law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20letter%20of%20the%20law. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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