within the law

idiom

1
: agreeing with the law : legal
He says that everything he did was within the law.
2
: in a legal way
With the organization under so much scrutiny, it is even more important that they work/operate within the law.

Examples of within the law 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.
The 143-year-old law was used to issue an absolute 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the U.S. and certain provisions within the law remained in place until 1943 — when U.S. officials capped the yearly limit of Chinese immigrants at 105. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 29 May 2025 Such requirements are within the law enforcement agency’s routine administrative functions and should be able to be implemented with no additional appropriations, assuming near customary agency staffing and resource levels. Sarah Nelson, IndyStar, 27 Jan. 2025 Hiring within the law almost certainly will mean offering higher wages or better working conditions and exploring greater automation, expedients that other American industries take for granted. The Editors, National Review, 30 June 2025 Civil-military relations are challenging by definition, but in the United States, civilian control, within the law, is firmly established. Arthur Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for within the law

Cite this Entry

“Within the law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/within%20the%20law. Accessed 19 Aug. 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!