plural laws
1
a(1)
: a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed (see prescribe sense 1a) or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority
(2)
: the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules
The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
(3)
b(1)
: the control brought about by the existence or enforcement of such law
The Indian government is believed to have detained thousands of other people last year … . The government said the move, decried by critics as draconian, was necessary to maintain law and public order in the region.—
BBC.com
see also law and order
BBC.com
(2)
: the action of laws considered as a means of redressing wrongs
also
: litigation
developed the habit of going to law over the slightest provocation —H. A. Overstreet
H. A. Overstreet
(3)
: the agency of or an agent of established law
When he saw that the fighting was escalating, he called in the law.
c
: a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe
a law of self-preservation
d
: something compatible with or enforceable by established law
The decrees were judged not to be law and were therefore rescinded.
2
a
often capitalized
: the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testament
b
capitalized
: the first part of the Jewish scriptures : pentateuch, torah see Bible Table
3
: a rule of construction or procedure
the laws of poetry
4
: the whole body of laws relating to one subject
criminal law
probate law
5
a
: the legal profession
studied for a career in law
b
: law as a department of knowledge : jurisprudence
c
: legal knowledge
a man with much history but little law
6
a
: a statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions
a law of thermodynamics
Boyle's law
b
: a general relation proved or assumed to hold between mathematical or logical expressions
lawed; lawing; laws
chiefly dialectal
: to sue or prosecute at law
Examples of law in a Sentence
Noun
The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
a lawyer who specializes in criminal law
In our civics class we learned how a bill becomes a law.
She has proposed a new law to protect people from being evicted unfairly.
Schools are required by law to provide a safe learning environment.
The bill will become law at the beginning of the year.
He's been in and out of trouble with the law for the last 10 years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
The details of the cases were not proactively made public beyond being made available for review for anyone who files a request under the state's public records law.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Current governor Republican Glenn Youngkin is reaching the end of his first four years leading the state, and is barred from running in this year's election by a unique state law that prevents governors from serving back-to-back terms.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, the jury charged Brown with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, which is a capital offense under federal law.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for law
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
In January 2010, former All-Star Gilbert Arenas was arrested in violation of gun control laws after he and a teammate, Javaris Crittenton, took firearms to the Washington Wizards’ locker room as a result of a gambling dispute.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
The details of the cases were not proactively made public beyond being made available for review for anyone who files a request under the state's public records law.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Current governor Republican Glenn Youngkin is reaching the end of his first four years leading the state, and is barred from running in this year's election by a unique state law that prevents governors from serving back-to-back terms.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
On Wednesday, the jury charged Brown with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, which is a capital offense under federal law.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for law
Cite this Entry
“Law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
law
noun
: a statement of order or relation holding for certain phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions
Legal Definition
law
noun1
: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority: as
a
: a command or provision enacted by a legislature see also statute sense 1
b
: something (as a judicial decision) authoritatively accorded binding or controlling effect in the administration of justice
that case is no longer the law of this circuit
2
a
: a body of laws
the law of a state
broadly
: laws and justice considered as a general and established entity
the law looks with disfavor on restraints on alienation
b
: common law compare equity sense 2
3
a
: the control or authority of the law
maintain law and order
b
: one or more agents or agencies involved in enforcing laws
c
: the application of a law or laws as distinct from considerations of fact
an error of law
see also issue of law at issue, matter of law at matter, question of law at question sense 2
4
: the whole body of laws and doctrines relating to one subject
contract law
the law of attractive nuisance
5
a
: the legal profession
practice law
b
: the nature, use, and effects of laws and legal systems as an area of knowledge or society
the politics of law
compare jurisprudence
Etymology
Noun
Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin
Biographical Definition
Law
2 of 4biographical name (2)
Edward 1750–1818 1st Baron
Ellenborough
ˈe-lən-ˌbər-ə 
-ˌbə-rə,
-brə
English jurist
Law
3 of 4biographical name (3)
John 1671–1729 Scottish financier and speculator
Law
4 of 4biographical name (4)
William 1686–1761 English writer
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