martial law

noun

Definition of martial lawnext
as in law
control of an area by military forces rather than by the police The government has declared martial law throughout the city to stop the riots. an area placed under martial law

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 martial law Ukraine has not held presidential or parliamentary elections since 2019, because Ukrainian martial law, which has been in effect since the start of the invasion, prohibits elections in a time of war. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Recently ousted Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov escalates tensions by publicly demanding wartime elections, challenging Zelensky’s authority even as Ukraine’s constitution bars national votes under martial law and protests follow his removal. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Norman notably encouraged the President to declare martial law before Joe Biden’s Inauguration, in 2021, and has been endorsed by several high-profile MAGA figures, including the Utah senator Mike Lee and the South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026 Zelenskyy, who has remained in office under martial law because wartime elections are prohibited, framed the move as part of a broader shift in Ukraine's governing strategy. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
  1. law
  2. common law
  3. ordinance
  4. legislation
  5. constitution
Noun
  • Lyft also doesn’t fingerprint its drivers unless required by law and doesn’t provide adequate background checks, the lawsuit alleged.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The county, which is facing a structural deficit, has signaled a legal challenge to the new law, should Newsom sign it.
    — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of law
Noun
  • In old common law, a testament contained a person’s instructions about how personal property was to be disbursed, while directions about real estate were contained in a will.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The trio, who founded the startup, were sued for securities fraud, common law fraud, and breach of contract.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of common law
Noun
  • Additionally, the law prohibits the state from overriding local ordinances limiting, prohibiting or otherwise regulating data centers.
    — Des Moines Register, States Newsroom, 3 Sep. 2026
  • If approved in April, the ordinance would require all future stadium projects supported by the city to receive voter approval.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ordinance
Noun
  • Congress also faces fall deadlines for transportation legislation and a farm bill.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The tote got a further leg up in the 21st century, when an increasingly casual office culture began to leave the briefcase behind, and heightened environmental concerns (and at times, legislation) prompted shoppers to bring their own reusable bags.
    — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of legislation
Noun
  • The sovereignty claim is enshrined in Argentina’s constitution and frequently invoked as an expression of national identity, from banknotes to World Cup soccer chants.
    — Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • If a judge is instead presented with whether the constitution allows — or bans — transgender rights or transgender participation in sports, powerful rulings could emerge either codifying or denying them.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of constitution

Browse Nearby Words

martial
martial law
martinet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial%20law. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on martial law

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about martial law

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All