extrajudicial
adjective
ex·tra·ju·di·cial
ˌek-strə-jü-ˈdi-shəl 
1
a
: not forming a valid part of regular legal proceedings
an extrajudicial investigation
b
: delivered without legal authority : private sense 2a(1)
the judge's extrajudicial statements
2
: done in contravention of due process of law
an extrajudicial execution
Examples of extrajudicial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At least sixty-six strikes have been conducted on vessels there and in the Caribbean, killing two hundred and fifteen people, in what many international legal scholars describe as an ongoing series of extrajudicial murders.
—
Will Freeman,
New Yorker,
30 June 2026
The West African country of 23 million people has been battered by years-long violence perpetrated by extremist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the militant group Islamic State, as well as government forces often accused of extrajudicial killings.
—
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
The West African country of 23 million people has been battered by yearslong violence perpetrated by extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as government forces often accused of extrajudicial killings.
—
ABC News,
27 June 2026
From 2016-19, rights group Karapatan tracked 250 extrajudicial killings, 10 disappearances and 450,000 evacuations due to military operations.
—
Patrick Peralta,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extrajudicial
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Will Freeman,
New Yorker,
30 June 2026
The West African country of 23 million people has been battered by years-long violence perpetrated by extremist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the militant group Islamic State, as well as government forces often accused of extrajudicial killings.
—
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
The West African country of 23 million people has been battered by yearslong violence perpetrated by extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as government forces often accused of extrajudicial killings.
—
ABC News,
27 June 2026
From 2016-19, rights group Karapatan tracked 250 extrajudicial killings, 10 disappearances and 450,000 evacuations due to military operations.
—
Patrick Peralta,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for extrajudicial
Cite this Entry
“Extrajudicial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extrajudicial. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
extrajudicial
adjective
ex·tra·ju·di·cial
ˌek-strə-ju̇-ˈdi-shəl
1
: not involving, occurring in, or forming part of a legal proceeding
a creditor's extrajudicial repossession of property
an extrajudicial investigation
2
: stemming from something outside of a court proceeding
a judge disqualified for bias that is extrajudicial and not derived from the evidence presented
3
: occurring or arising outside of the course of judicial duties
a judge's extrajudicial conduct
extrajudicially
adverb
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