community property

noun

: property held jointly by a married couple

Examples of community property 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.

However, exceptions can arise when your spouse shares legal responsibility for the debt, when community property laws apply or when certain types of obligations are involved. —

Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 11 June 2026 These risks can be mitigated through careful planning around key legal factors, including California corporate, probate, and community property laws, restrictions imposed by your business’s governing documents, and estate, income, and property tax exposure. —

Fennemore, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026 As Somoza supporters fled, their radio stations became community property. —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Apr. 2026 If the borrower took out private student loans after getting married and lived in one of those community property states, the situation can be different. —

Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for community property

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of community property was in 1848

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Community property.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community%20property. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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