Definition of magistratenext
as in judge
a public official having authority to decide questions of law chose to take their case before the local magistrate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of magistrate Before fatally stabbing Zarutska, according to court records, Brown had been on a pretrial release over a misdemeanor offense that was ordered by a magistrate after Cooper left office. — Corey Williams, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Urán, an auxiliary magistrate of Colombia’s Council of State, was among the dead. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026 The magistrate said the possibility that the company dismissed Cheng as part of a genuine corporate restructuring could not be ruled out beyond a reasonable doubt, resulting in an acquittal on the second count. — CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026 The court can also issue a standard scheduling order rather than wait for a clerk or magistrate judge to review it. — Carla Astudillo, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for magistrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magistrate
Noun
  • Recent court cases have used similar arguments, framing social media to judges and jurors as defective products causing children harm.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In June 2025, a Franklin County judge declared EdChoice unconstitutional.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Li fled to China, with Xuan and Zhang’s help, according to court filings.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • To assure further compliance, Section 5 of the act required those states to get approval from the Justice Department or a court before making any changes to their electoral systems.
    — Jeffrey Toobin, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Magistrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magistrate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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