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
  • The statute prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in any program that receives federal funding.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the court's ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed.
    — Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of statute
Noun
  • The justice ministry rejected the criticism, saying the proceedings complied with Syrian law and included the participation of victims and their representatives.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Compared with federal law and that of other states, New York has uncommonly strong protections for defendants facing multiple prosecutions — though they are not guaranteed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • The city of Centennial is now proposing an ordinance to crack down on these behaviors.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In 2025, the county passed a zoning ordinance essentially expanding an existing data center campus centered on a brownfield near Adamstown, but preventing data center development elsewhere.
    — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordinance
Noun
  • English common law still governs substantial rules on cross-border finance, shipping, commercial contracts, and international arbitration.
    — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The evidentiary rules and the common law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts clearly permitted that medical evidence to be presented, and yet it was blocked.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of common law
Noun
  • Player development is not an exact science and bringing him along at the right speed will be a delicate balancing act for Alonso, amplified by the pressure to keep piling up Premier League points.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The reissue includes more than half a dozen additional smashes from the Grammy-winning act, and fans of the group and those tunes in particular have turned the collection into not only a bestseller, but a top 10 success for the very first time.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of act
Noun
  • Many discussion drafts undergo substantial revision or never reach enactment.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In 1956, following the enactment of the States Reorganisation Act (1956), the region was divided between Mysore state (renamed Karnataka in 1973) and Kerala.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of enactment
Noun
  • Quarantine orders are met with wholesale insubordination, and the government begins to ratchet its way to full martial law.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026
  • To some lawmakers and analysts, the episode demonstrated that democracy and accountability are alive in Ukraine despite martial law and the suspension of elections.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of martial law
Noun
  • To control the dangerous unfettered use of magic, an oversight council established ground rules on what is considered forbidden magic and the knowledge of its existence.
    — Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • New York state set a one-year pause on building AI data centers to establish some ground rules.
    — Yasmin Vossoughian, NBC news, 23 July 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 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blue law

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blue law

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