COMMON LAW Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

common law

noun

Definition of common law

as in martial law

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

higher law

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 common law Facial recognition is an increasingly common law enforcement tool, with public databases holding images of 117 million Americans, according to the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law School. — Alyssa Spady, CBS News, 10 June 2026 Thorpe is attempting to charge the king under Indigenous law that has existed for more than 65,000 years, state common law and federal criminal law, court documents show. — ABC News, 3 June 2026 The Breadth of California’s Injury Claim Protections Beyond the pure comparative fault doctrine, California has developed an extensive body of statutory and common law protections for personal injury victims. — Anton Lucanus may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026 The rule against prior restraint derives from the English common law principle that liberty of the press is essential to a free state. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for common law

Recent Examples of Synonyms for common law

Noun

Zelensky has remained in office under martial law because wartime elections are prohibited but has periodically reshuffled his government.

— Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
The case is one of seven trials facing the former conservative president, who was impeached last year following a brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 that triggered South Korea’s biggest political crisis in decades.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

Definition of martial law

Noun

The wave of levies will be enacted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a different statute from how most tariffs have previously been authorized.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 23 July 2026
Twice during Tuesday’s hearing lawmakers asked Kozak whether the State Department had been consulted before Noem ended Haiti’s TPS designation, as required by statute.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026