martial law
noun
1
: the law applied in occupied territory by the military authority of the occupying power
2
: the law administered by military forces that is invoked by a government in an emergency when the civilian law enforcement agencies are unable to maintain public order and safety
Examples of martial law in a Sentence
The government has imposed martial law throughout the city to stop the riots.
an area placed under martial law
Recent Examples on the Web
All this feeds the national fear that Trump will invent a phony emergency to declare martial law in order to postpone the 2026 midterm elections that could — and should — erase his control of Congress.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Eventually, as the situation escalates, declaring martial law.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2025
Lee Jae-myung is the new President of South Korea after winning a commanding 49% of the vote in Tuesday’s snap election, which was called following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who plunged Asia’s fourth biggest economy into turmoil with his December declaration of martial law.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
Despite such disagreements – a reflection of the country’s deep polarization – many South Koreans are simply thankful to put the instability of the martial law episode behind them.
—Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for martial law
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Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Eventually, as the situation escalates, declaring martial law.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 10 June 2025
Lee Jae-myung is the new President of South Korea after winning a commanding 49% of the vote in Tuesday’s snap election, which was called following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who plunged Asia’s fourth biggest economy into turmoil with his December declaration of martial law.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
Despite such disagreements – a reflection of the country’s deep polarization – many South Koreans are simply thankful to put the instability of the martial law episode behind them.
—Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for martial law
Cite this Entry
“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martial%20law. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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