STATUTES Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

statutes

noun

plural of statute

as in laws

a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature a new antilittering statute

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

higher laws

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 statutes Roughly two dozen countries have statutes that classify maternal infanticide as less culpable than ordinary murder; the United States recognizes no such distinction, forcing cases like Clancy’s into the contentious framework of the insanity defense. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Obeying God’s statutes in our own lives helps open the way for others to do the same. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 The case was brought in 2023, and accused Meta of violating federal and state laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, and various consumer protection statutes. — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026 Verbal assurances survive one budget cycle; statutes and public budget documents survive turnover in the governor's office and the attorney general's office alike. — Darla Silva, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Such offenses are commonly prosecuted under voyeurism or invasion-of-privacy statutes, though some states have adopted laws specifically targeting upskirting. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 And the states argued that these practices violated state consumer protection statutes as well. — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 This dwindling buffer forces the nation into a high-stakes standoff against the uncompromising laws of fluid dynamics, immense geological forces, strict federal statutes, and relentless geopolitical pressure. — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 Kobrin argued that the General Assembly's authority to propose a constitutional amendment comes directly from the state Constitution and, because of that, lawmakers can override statutes such as the July 1 deadline. — Dennis Valera, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for statutes

Noun

As of March, 386 people had been arrested under the Beijing and Hong Kong national security laws, with 176 people and four companies convicted, Reuters reported, citing the local Security Bureau.

— Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
Albert Ramdin, secretary general of the Organization of American States, said while the hemispheric body cannot compel countries to keep undocumented migrants when their laws do not permit it, as in the case of the termination of TPS.

— Gérard Maxineau, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of laws

Noun

In a handful of impressively resonant scenes with King, Kylie gives Gillian an entire new generation to encourage toward the messy exuberant existence that Sally, at least in the sequel’s first few acts, vows to keep at bay.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
The move to resentence the brothers was one of the last acts of George Gascón’s tenure as Los Angeles County district attorney, and current Dist.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of acts

Noun

What Folsom proposed The City Council was considering two ordinances Tuesday that approached the issue differently.

— Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026
The Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution last week toward the start of a seven-hour meeting, in a unanimous, single vote that grouped together numerous ordinances.

— Sharon Udasin, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of ordinances

Noun

Republicans and Democrats alike have faced anger from voters anxious about the impact a data center built in their community will have on utility bills, property values, and quality of life.

— Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2026
The two measures were among 13 bills Newsom enacted as a package designed to safeguard young people from technology seen as putting them at risk, including greater online privacy protection for minors.

— Reuters, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of bills

Noun

Meanwhile, teams lose massive chunks of their time in the administrative dead zones between protocol amendments, site activations, electronic data reconciliation and regulatory filings.

— Anshima Raj, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Find out the best natural soil amendments to use to raise soil pH, plus get simple tips to keep your soil from becoming too acidic again.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of amendments

Browse Nearby Words

statute

statutes

statutory

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Statutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/statutes. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of statutes

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

empirical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes