as in law
control of an area by military forces rather than by the police
The government has declared martial law throughout the city to stop the riots. an area placed under martial law
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Recent Examples of martial law
The final season has seen Homelander establish a new world order, deputizing Supes under martial law.
—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Directed by Lee Myung-se, the film uses visual techniques and music to reconstruct the events of Dec. 3, 2024, when a surprise martial law declaration briefly halted the nation.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
The finale of season four saw Homelander gain control over the U.S. government after his crony Senator Calhoun (David Andrews) was sworn in as the new president of the United States, and Congress declared martial law.
—
James Powel,
USA Today,
6 Mar. 2026
The court also convicted and sentenced five former military and police officials involved in enforcing Yoon's martial law decree.
—
Arkansas Online,
20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martial law
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Directed by Lee Myung-se, the film uses visual techniques and music to reconstruct the events of Dec. 3, 2024, when a surprise martial law declaration briefly halted the nation.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
The finale of season four saw Homelander gain control over the U.S. government after his crony Senator Calhoun (David Andrews) was sworn in as the new president of the United States, and Congress declared martial law.
—
James Powel,
USA Today,
6 Mar. 2026
The court also convicted and sentenced five former military and police officials involved in enforcing Yoon's martial law decree.
—
Arkansas Online,
20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
Noun
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Under state law, any single gift — or multiple gifts from the same source that add up to $50 or more during the annual period — must be disclosed.
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Millions of index cards, once restricted by German privacy laws and requiring a lengthy process to obtain, are now directly searchable online in German media, as of a few months ago, after the US National Archives published the surviving membership card files online.
Noun
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The Law Commission has argued that the common law is sufficiently flexible to recognise a distinct category of personal property capable of accommodating crypto-tokens and other digital assets and has recommended legislation to remove any uncertainty.
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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.
Noun
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Stockton Deputy Police Chief Morris said the ordinance would give officers an additional tool while enforcing the law fairly.
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Part of the motivation for pursuing an ordinance instead of a ballot measure is that ballot measures can require as much as $500,000 in election costs, said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who is spearheading the campaign contribution ordinance.
Noun
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In response to the ruling, Wasserman Schultz announced plans to introduce legislation that would mandate congressional and judicial review for TPS recipients facing program termination.
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The federal legislation is expected to result in $100 billion in cuts that would affect California’s most vulnerable residents.
Noun
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Many have carried the Indian flag and brought copies of the constitution to the demonstration.
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The 1992 change to the state constitution, among other things, limits growth in government spending to a formula based on population growth and inflation.
Cite this Entry
“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial%20law. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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