laws

noun

plural of law
1
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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2
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

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3
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 Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has repeatedly said the administration is working to establish conditions under which girls and women can attend classrooms or university campuses in line with Islamic Sharia laws. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026 With the inconspicuous glasses, however, that assumption becomes much harder to make—meaning privacy and consent laws can potentially be invoked. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 McHale found that Washington is likely to succeed in proving its claims that Kalshi violated state laws on gambling and consumer protection. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 Traffic laws must also be followed when riding an e-motorcycle. — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 Ahead of a House of Lords debate last year on arrests for online communications and free speech, the House of Lords Library cited a Times of London analysis that found more than 12,000 arrests in 2023 under two communications laws. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 For these shoppers, switching to a card or digital wallet may not be a simple alternative, hence the existence of cash-payment laws. — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Jim Zouras, a Chicago attorney who’s represented people in hundreds of Illinois privacy lawsuits, said the state has constructed many new data centers since enacting its privacy laws. — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 In a statement shared with the Times, a spokesperson for Christus Health declined to comment due to patient privacy laws. — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laws
  1. acts
  2. constitutions
  3. police
  4. ordinances
  5. codes
  6. statutes
  7. bills
  8. amendments
Noun
  • Although umbrella insurance is far from perfect ― for instance, intentional acts are generally excluded ― umbrella insurance can provide much larger coverage amounts for things already covered by other policies with lower limits.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The character is renowned in the wizarding world for his many heroic deeds, though he’s later revealed as a fraud who took credit for the acts of others after erasing part of their memories.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of acts
Noun
  • State constitutions play an increasingly important role in American politics, though voters may not know much about them.
    — Quinn Yeargain, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The obligations can be established through national constitutions, state constitutions, laws, and treaties.
    — Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of constitutions
Noun
  • Reuters — The Thai teen behind a deadly school shooting outside Bangkok had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and had watched violent content online, police said on Sunday, as the government promised new safety protocols for schools.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The presenter, former journalist Anchalee Paireerak, was seen reacting with shock and told him to wait for police to arrive.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of police
Noun
  • However, the whole reason advocates wanted tighter zoning ordinances was to prevent vacation homes and short-term rentals from popping up everywhere.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Her office maintains city code functions and publishes ordinances and resolutions retained as official records in the city’s municipal library, according to the city clerk’s office.
    — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordinances
Noun
  • But the number of deaths has fallen thanks to improved forecasting, early-warning systems, and building codes.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • To make something cool involves an uncool process of zoning permits, building codes, and cash withdrawals.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of codes
Noun
  • 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
  • This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of statutes
Noun
  • Europeans also face the prospect of hikes to their energy bills this winter, as natural gas prices climb.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bills
Noun
  • Also, in many states, victims’ rights amendments guarantee to victims of crimes the opportunity to participate in criminal trials, and frequently constrain defendants’ rights.
    — Quinn Yeargain, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
  • However, proponents of workplace surveillance say that the amendments are not enough to secure their support for the bill.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of amendments

Browse Nearby Words

lawns
laws
lawsuit
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Cite this Entry

“Laws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laws. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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