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martial law

noun

Definition of martial lawnext
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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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 martial law The president imposed martial law, which prohibits elections from being held, when Russian forces invaded the country in February 2022. — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 Ukraine has not held presidential or parliamentary elections since 2019, because Ukrainian martial law, which has been in effect since the start of the invasion, prohibits elections in a time of war. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Recently ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov escalates tensions by publicly demanding wartime elections, challenging Zelensky’s authority even as Ukraine’s constitution bars national votes under martial law and protests follow his removal. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Norman notably encouraged the President to declare martial law before Joe Biden’s Inauguration, in 2021, and has been endorsed by several high-profile MAGA figures, including the Utah senator Mike Lee and the South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
  1. law
  2. common law
  3. ordinance
  4. legislation
  5. constitution
Noun
  • France, a secular nation where the separation of church and state is enshrined in a 1905 law, has witnessed a steady decline in affiliation to the Catholic Church during the post-war era.
    — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • There is no state agency in charge of monitoring or tracking the locations of sober living homes, which are protected under state and federal law as residences of people with disabilities.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • This unprecedented prosecution is in flagrant violation of common law principles.
    — Luke Barr, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In old common law, a testament contained a person’s instructions about how personal property was to be disbursed, while directions about real estate were contained in a will.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of common law
Noun
  • If approved, the ordinance could require a future vote on the stadium project.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Passing Miami-Dade’s budget requires eight pieces of legislation, and the closest vote came on the ordinance establishing a 6% increase in the county’s water rates.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of ordinance
Noun
  • The Senate is expected to vote on legislation this week meant to protect consumers from high electricity costs caused in part by the data center building boom.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The legislation would establish a federal framework for NIL payments, cap the amount universities can give directly to athletes, create rules for transfers, and establish other regulations governing college sports.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of legislation
Noun
  • But the show’s core constitution doesn’t leave much wiggle room for genre experiments, let alone tonal shifts into full-on song-and-dance mode.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The constitution recognizes the right to vote for Moroccans living abroad, but there is no voting by mail or ballot boxes at Moroccan consulates.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of constitution

Browse Nearby Words

martial
martial law
martinet
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Cite this Entry

“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial%20law. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on martial law

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about martial law

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