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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 Local laws and fire codes may totally ban model rocketry in your area. — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 3 July 2026 The agencies also encouraged states with price-gouging statutes to determine whether enforcement actions are warranted under those laws. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026 The legislation also clarified that e-bike riders need to follow regular traffic laws and sit only on the permanent, attached seat. — Idaho Statesman, 3 July 2026 Because probate laws are governed by state law, the executor should understand the specific deadlines that apply in the jurisdiction where the estate is being administered. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 June 2026 The parliament in England created laws against Quakers, forbidding them to worship freely, charging them with punishments for refusing to take oaths or refusing to remove their hats. — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 July 2026 While safety-zone laws must be passed domestically by individual states, law-abiding nations should coordinate to avoid fragmentation of legal regimes and gaps in authority. — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 They were reportedly convicted of violating local morality laws under an Islamic Sharia court in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 The lawsuit accused Lemonade of negligence and violations of multiple consumer privacy laws, including the Driver Privacy Protection Act. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laws
  1. acts
  2. constitutions
  3. police
  4. ordinances
  5. codes
  6. statutes
  7. bills
  8. amendments
Noun
  • Mehrabian recalled seeing acts like Tale Of Us and Solomun at Lot 613 in their early days.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Government repression increasingly targeted Catholic clergy in communities in Quiché, and Gerardi began to openly protest the violent acts.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of acts
Noun
  • Boston, the lone plaintiff in the lawsuit, asserted that the measure violates the state and federal constitutions and targets Democratic strongholds under the guise of taking politics out of those elections.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 June 2026
  • In the 1890s, at the height of the Gilded Age, Southern states rewrote their constitutions to disenfranchise poor whites and Black citizens alike, specifically to crush the rising Populist movement.
    — Sarita Gupta, Time, 2 June 2026
Definition of constitutions
Noun
  • The leader is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has authority over the national police and morality police.
    — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Paramedics took the child to the hospital, where the toddler died, Grace Mariot, a police spokeswoman, said.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of police
Noun
  • On top of that, noise and nuisance ordinances can come into play, especially late at night, giving police grounds to respond when fireworks are reported as a disturbance or hazard.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • These ordinances are commonly called leash laws, Animal Control Public Information Officer Melissa Knicely told The Charlotte Observer.
    — Eva Flowe July 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026
Definition of ordinances
Noun
  • But because there are rules and codes that have to be honored to make sports work, the transgressors typically are penalized or at least shamed for doing so.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • The full list now includes the A57 and A37, the A56 and A36, the A55, and the A34, which all now have specific build codes assigned.
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of codes
Noun
  • The agencies also encouraged states with price-gouging statutes to determine whether enforcement actions are warranted under those laws.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • Those interviews suggest that donors seeking to celebrate America fell for a bait-and-switch that, if true, could have violated various criminal statutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of statutes
Noun
  • Days after Miller shared details about the car accident, which occurred north of Joplin, Missouri, a GoFundMe was set up to pay for hospital bills.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • Congress has repeatedly considered bills with stronger requirements, many of which have garnered bipartisan support.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
Definition of bills
Noun
  • The Constitutional Court ruled that Tokayev can run again when his term expires in 2029 because his current tenure does not count under amendments to the constitution that were approved in a nationwide vote in March and came into force this month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • With four council members already on board, the proposal seems likely to pass, but that doesn’t mean last-minute objections and amendments are not possible when the ordinance comes before the council this month for final adoption.
    — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 7 July 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 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of laws for Spanish Speakers

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