as in parliaments
a group of people with the power to make or change laws
Our legislature passed a law requiring people to wear safety belts. Each state has its own legislature. state legislatures
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Recent Examples of legislatures
After another year of congressional gridlock, state legislatures moved ahead on their own, filling policy gaps that Washington has left open for years.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
Republicans are defending a narrow majority in the House — Democrats need to net just three seats to take back control (a task that could be complicated by the ongoing redistricting wildfire that has swept state legislatures across the country).
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 1 Jan. 2026
But state legislatures were passing laws that govern everything from AI to social media to the right to repair.
—Adi Robertson, The Verge, 1 Jan. 2026
But sometimes ballot initiatives – policy led by ordinary voters, not state legislatures or city councils – are necessary to get those changes made, Edwards added.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Dec. 2025
Democrats are hoping to capture the majority of both chambers in the Arizona and New Hampshire legislatures, while seeking to flip in total about 42 statehouses.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2025
Missouri and North Carolina's Republican legislatures have redrawn their maps in an attempt to gain a new seat in each state for Republicans.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
While many states have sought to attract data centers as an economic boon, legislatures and utility commissions were also flooded with proposals to try to protect regular ratepayers from paying to connect data centers to the grid.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Other states’ ‘Black Laws’ Southern legislatures imposed barbaric laws on Black residents, whether enslaved or free, for centuries.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
Republicans are defending a narrow majority in the House — Democrats need to net just three seats to take back control (a task that could be complicated by the ongoing redistricting wildfire that has swept state legislatures across the country).
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 1 Jan. 2026
But state legislatures were passing laws that govern everything from AI to social media to the right to repair.
—Adi Robertson, The Verge, 1 Jan. 2026
But sometimes ballot initiatives – policy led by ordinary voters, not state legislatures or city councils – are necessary to get those changes made, Edwards added.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Dec. 2025
Democrats are hoping to capture the majority of both chambers in the Arizona and New Hampshire legislatures, while seeking to flip in total about 42 statehouses.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2025
Missouri and North Carolina's Republican legislatures have redrawn their maps in an attempt to gain a new seat in each state for Republicans.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
While many states have sought to attract data centers as an economic boon, legislatures and utility commissions were also flooded with proposals to try to protect regular ratepayers from paying to connect data centers to the grid.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Other states’ ‘Black Laws’ Southern legislatures imposed barbaric laws on Black residents, whether enslaved or free, for centuries.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legislatures
Noun
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Nominations can be made by a variety of individuals including members of national parliaments or governments, previous laureates, university professors in relevant fields and members of international courts.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Leadership does not reside in parliaments or boardrooms alone.—
Felipe Arango,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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DiDonato has appeared on catwalks for major fashion houses and has featured in publications such as Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Events across the region are taking place all day at schools, local businesses, houses of worship and burned down local landmarks in various stages of rebuilding.—
David Wilson,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The foundation hosts biannual congresses, with panels devoted to discussing recent threats to the rule of law, and awarding honors to lawyers who defend it.—
Fabio Bertoni,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
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More than 300 full and non-voting delegates of the powerful Central Committee will gather in Beijing for the closed-door plenum, one of seven meetings typically held within five years, between party congresses.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Legislatures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legislatures. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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