LAWS Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

laws

noun

plural of law

as in acts

a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature a record number of laws were passed in that legislative session

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

higher laws

as in constitutions

a collection or system of rules of conduct it's important to obey the law at all times, or else you might end up in jail

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in police

the department of government that keeps order, fights crime, and enforces statutes a petty thief who had somehow managed to avoid the law for most of his life

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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 laws Politicians have been ushered on the stages of megachurches to receive a pastor’s endorsement despite IRS tax laws that forbid it. — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026 Bonta’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether DHS ownership of the facilities could limit the state’s ability to enforce its oversight laws, including AB 103. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026 Turks and Caicos has strict firearms and ammunition laws that are strongly enforced at airports. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 17 July 2026 States also cannot fully determine the SEC-CFTC division of authority, create uniform national exchange rules or eliminate the compliance costs created by a patchwork of state laws, but states are no longer waiting. — Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 However, Ars Technica has suggested that contractions in the Russian economy led to very recent changes in the country's laws for space advertising that could lead to more examples like this. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 17 July 2026 New York, California, and Illinois have already enacted frontier-AI transparency laws. — Jesse Rothman, Boston Herald, 17 July 2026 The deal could close as soon as July 22, though several states, including Oregon and California, are investigating whether the $111 billion transaction violates their antitrust laws. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 July 2026 Prediction markets can legally operate in Texas because they’re regulated by the federal government rather than under state gambling laws. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laws

Noun

In a screenplay structured in three acts, that’s the point at which everything falls apart.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026
The 14th Amendment’s foundational principles include birthright citizenship, due process, equal protection under the law, and the prohibition for heads of state to engage in acts of insurrection.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 July 2026

Definition of acts

Noun

The obligations can be established through national constitutions, state constitutions, laws, and treaties.

— Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Leaders of several former Soviet republics, including Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, have replaced or amended their countries’ constitutions to strengthen their executive powers and extend their time in office.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026

Definition of constitutions

Noun

The Tredyffrin Township police plan to contact federal authorities to determine whether there’s a connection involving Barkley’s home, Moyer said.

— Reuters, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
But just weeks before a ball was kicked came a police raid that eventually led to Jan Ullrich’s doping confession and Germany falling out of love with bike racing for over a decade.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of police

Noun

In bodycam footage, a Sacramento police officer directly cites Grants Pass as a reason that the city has stepped up enforcement of anti-camping ordinances.

— Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Ibiza is famous for outdoor dance parties, but by the mid-2000s, after-midnight sound ordinances had pushed its superclubs indoors.

— Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026

Definition of ordinances

Noun

Though South Florida abides by strict statewide building codes to protect against wind and flooding, Lejeune is concerned that no new construction has been tested by destructive storms.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
The Castello shoe design reflects Generation Gucci’s approach to the brand’s archival codes, combining different generations of design into one aesthetic narrative.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 21 July 2026

Definition of codes

Noun

As energy costs and demand continue to rise and the potential for significantly lower tax revenues looms, local governments need to understand that clean energy is not banned in Florida but is encouraged by state statutes.

— Alan Byrd, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
Key Background Federal prosecutors have increasingly used statutes prohibiting the sending of threats against the president to pursue posts made on social media.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of statutes

Noun

These much larger centers have begun sprouting up across the nation and making headlines for sucking up communities’ water, spiking power bills and causing other environmental issues.

— Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Many of the California bills related to detention facilities introduced in this legislation cycle specifically name the involvement of private operators as part of the definition of a center in the state.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of bills

Noun

However, neither of these amendments would have decreased the tax burden attached to a home in the same way many of those being voted on later in the year will.

— Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 21 July 2026
According to the Post, Vice Chairman of the ACHP, Travis Voyles, has asked council members to vote on the draft amendments by Friday.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of amendments

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lawns

laws

lawsuit

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“Laws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laws. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of laws

noun

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