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blue law

noun

Definition of blue lawnext
as in statute

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of blue law There were blue laws, but Jewish owners could circumvent that because of their religious holiday on Saturday. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Dec. 2025 But Minnesota is an outlier here, and as was the case with those stubborn Sunday blue laws, sports gambling will eventually win out in Minnesota. — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025 Paramus officials contend that blue laws are only effective when a county chooses to obey them through a citizen referendum. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025 New Jersey’s blue laws initially were far stricter and enforced statewide. — Dave Smith, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blue law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blue law
  1. statute
  2. law
  3. ordinance
  4. common law
  5. act
  6. enactment
  7. martial law
  8. ground rule
Noun
  • At least some environmental legal experts seem confident that this dispute over the ESA isn’t about who has the authority to interpret the statute, though.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In their ruling, the judges said the court and district attorney's office relied on a criminal statute for stealing when the case focuses more on a civil matter for deciding ownership.
    — CBS Chicago Team, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of statute
Noun
  • France, a secular nation where the separation of church and state is enshrined in a 1905 law, has witnessed a steady decline in affiliation to the Catholic Church during the post-war era.
    — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • There is no state agency in charge of monitoring or tracking the locations of sober living homes, which are protected under state and federal law as residences of people with disabilities.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • If approved, the ordinance could require a future vote on the stadium project.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Passing Miami-Dade’s budget requires eight pieces of legislation, and the closest vote came on the ordinance establishing a 6% increase in the county’s water rates.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of ordinance
Noun
  • This unprecedented prosecution is in flagrant violation of common law principles.
    — Luke Barr, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In old common law, a testament contained a person’s instructions about how personal property was to be disbursed, while directions about real estate were contained in a will.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of common law
Noun
  • Next week, Dakota Johnson will host with Turnstile as the musical act.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Storming a podium at a meeting of academics is a pointless performative act.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of act
Noun
  • Another section would require domestic garment manufacturers and contractors to register annually with the Department of Labor beginning six months after enactment.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Its enactment comes at a time when Big Tech, in the face of mounting legal challenges, has shown greater willingness to accept new restrictions.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of enactment
Noun
  • Ukraine’s constitution bars elections from being held under martial law, which was introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
    — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
  • South Korea shifted to a softer tone under current liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last year after his conservative predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of martial law
Noun
  • The White House and its allies are lonely in their insistence that AI development in America must accelerate without governments setting ground rules.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, did not elaborate.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of ground rule

Browse Nearby Words

blue jeans
blue law
blue laws
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Cite this Entry

“Blue law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blue%20law. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blue law

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blue law

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