brother-in-law
noun
broth·er-in-law
ˈbrə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ 
ˈbrət͟h-rən-,
ˈbrə-t͟hərn-
plural brothers-in-law
ˈbrə-t͟hərz-ən-
1
: the brother of one's spouse
2
a
: the husband of one's sibling
b
: the husband of one's spouse's sibling
Examples of brother-in-law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So, in an effort to provide some good news, the fiancé told his brother-in-law, who then told his mom, about the pregnancy.
—
Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 6 July 2025
The namesake Tyler Davidson was the senior partner in a successful hardware business with his brother-in-law, Henry Probasco.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
The Republican secretary of state is already under scrutiny after a recent 10-day trip to India, hiring his brother-in-law to a six-figure job, and other questionable spending since being elected in 2022.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
There would be seven in total, three biological and four of his sister’s boys, who had come to live with him and his wife, Jane, in 1958, when Vonnegut’s brother-in-law, Jim, died in a train derailment, his commuter train launching itself from the Newark Bay Bridge into Newark Bay.
—Noah Hawley, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for brother-in-law
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.
Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 6 July 2025
The namesake Tyler Davidson was the senior partner in a successful hardware business with his brother-in-law, Henry Probasco.
—Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
The Republican secretary of state is already under scrutiny after a recent 10-day trip to India, hiring his brother-in-law to a six-figure job, and other questionable spending since being elected in 2022.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
There would be seven in total, three biological and four of his sister’s boys, who had come to live with him and his wife, Jane, in 1958, when Vonnegut’s brother-in-law, Jim, died in a train derailment, his commuter train launching itself from the Newark Bay Bridge into Newark Bay.
—Noah Hawley, The Atlantic, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for brother-in-law
Cite this Entry
“Brother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brother-in-law. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share