attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals
: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal adviser

Examples of attorney general in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Wilson, the attorney general, also rejected the conclusion that EdChoice harms public education. — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 Crump on Monday pointed out that authorities have yet to release video footage of the encounter to support the attorney general's finding that the shooting was a justified use of force. — Sophie Bates, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026 State attorneys general alleged that Meta covered up internal studies on the impact of Instagram on teenagers’ mental health. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Mississippi’s attorney general says a Senatobia police officer was justified in firing into a car during a shoplifting response, killing 1-year-old Kohen Wiley. — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attorney general

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of attorney general was in 1585

Browse Nearby Words

attorney-at-law
attorney general
attornment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attorney general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attorney%20general. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

attorney general

noun
plural attorneys general or attorney generals
: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in legal matters

Legal Definition

attorney general

noun
plural attorneys general or attorney generals
: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal advisor

More from Merriam-Webster on attorney general

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about attorney general

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