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
Investigators indict Yoon on additional charges of ordering drone flights over North Korea in a deliberate bid to stoke tensions and justify his plans to declare martial law.
—
ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Other trials are still ongoing, including one in which he is charged with treason after he was accused of ordering that drones be sent into North Korean airspace to provoke a confrontation that could justify martial law.
—Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
He was sentenced in January to five years for lesser crimes related to his martial law attempt.
—Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
Sandoval, again taking leading-lady duties, plays Dahlia, a cop reporting to Bernal (Dennis Marasigan), a shady police chief with friends in both high and low places in Manila, a city still under martial law in 1979.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martial law
ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Other trials are still ongoing, including one in which he is charged with treason after he was accused of ordering that drones be sent into North Korean airspace to provoke a confrontation that could justify martial law.
—Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
He was sentenced in January to five years for lesser crimes related to his martial law attempt.
—Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
Sandoval, again taking leading-lady duties, plays Dahlia, a cop reporting to Bernal (Dennis Marasigan), a shady police chief with friends in both high and low places in Manila, a city still under martial law in 1979.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
Noun
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The bank would only speak hypothetically about when the bank closes accounts and its reasons for closing accounts, citing bank privacy laws.—
Ken Sweet,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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One new state law enacted in 2024 set requirements for oil and gas companies to plug certain percentages of their idle wells each year — between 5% and 15% each year at first, but larger shares after 2027.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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While common law trademark rights are useful, federal trademark rights are often considered superior.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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While under hypnosis, a common law enforcement practice at the time, Bianchi confessed to killing Mandic and Wilder, along with five of the Hillside Strangler victims.—
Kelsey Lentz,
PEOPLE,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But that system had yet to be finalized when the ordinance was initially passed that day.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Last year, the City Council approved an ordinance to offer rewards for information involving theft of city plaques, tombstones, statues, light standards, and copper wire, and theft of metals linked to the Sixth Street Bridge.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Prior to his death, the actor channeled his personal experiences with the condition to portray a firefighter living with ALS on TV and advocated for legislation related to the condition.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Real progress will require collective action from government, businesses, nonprofits and community organizations to ensure residents can benefit from the legislation.—
Curtis Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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By taking those liberties from citizens on the basis of ancestry, the government’s application of the constitution, in the eyes of the resisters, was inconsistent with those fundamental principles and inalienable rights.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
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According to the ancient texts, distress and diseases (like infertility) occur when our doshas—the body’s three basic constitutions—fall out of harmony.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial%20law. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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