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.
Republicans are getting pretty fed up with their Senate nominee in Texas, state attorney general Ken Paxton. — W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, attorneys general and governors from other SEC states encouraged the conference to stand strong against LSU and enforce league rules. — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026 The attorney general’s office argued that the state defendants were denied an opportunity to have their evidence impartially evaluated. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026 Pastor agreed with the attorney general’s conclusion that Sunshine has a lot of leverage over the state because of reliance on the company’s beds. — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 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 7 Sep. 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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