as in parliaments
a group of people with the power to make or change laws
Our legislature passed a law requiring people to wear safety belts. Each state has its own legislature. state legislatures
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Recent Examples of legislatures
Guy-Sheftall said privates tend to be more insulated from political pressure, particularly in Southern states where legislatures and regent boards — often dominated by conservatives — wield significant power over public universities.
—
Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 4 Apr. 2026
State legislatures can define conversion therapy a bit more narrowly, for example, by prohibiting the physical and more coercive techniques that initially gave rise to these bans.
—Kevin Cope, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
As state legislatures around the country move to shield information about the off-the-field gains of college athletes, the Tennessee General Assembly is focused on protecting its public university athletic programs’ on-field advantages.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the elections will decide 824 assembly seats across five legislatures, with polling scheduled for several dates in April and the counting of votes set for May 4, several weeks before the terms of the incumbent assemblies expire.
—Shabnam Dohutia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
The issue has also come up in state legislatures.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, said the outcomes so far show that the courts, state legislatures and foreign governments are now aligning to reshape Silicon Valley.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
In response to the issue, state legislatures have passed social media restrictions before, though many have failed — being struck down by the courts due to free speech concerns.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
Republicans control the legislatures in all three states and the governor’s office in two of them.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 4 Apr. 2026
State legislatures can define conversion therapy a bit more narrowly, for example, by prohibiting the physical and more coercive techniques that initially gave rise to these bans.
—Kevin Cope, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
As state legislatures around the country move to shield information about the off-the-field gains of college athletes, the Tennessee General Assembly is focused on protecting its public university athletic programs’ on-field advantages.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the elections will decide 824 assembly seats across five legislatures, with polling scheduled for several dates in April and the counting of votes set for May 4, several weeks before the terms of the incumbent assemblies expire.
—Shabnam Dohutia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
The issue has also come up in state legislatures.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, said the outcomes so far show that the courts, state legislatures and foreign governments are now aligning to reshape Silicon Valley.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
In response to the issue, state legislatures have passed social media restrictions before, though many have failed — being struck down by the courts due to free speech concerns.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
Republicans control the legislatures in all three states and the governor’s office in two of them.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legislatures
Noun
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The 213-seat upper house is scheduled to open Wednesday, with 14 regional parliaments set to convene two days after that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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In general, any agreements to end a war must be signed by the presidents, and then they must either be ratified by parliaments or through a referendum.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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ZooAmerica, which is located inside Hersheypark, is an 11-acre zoo that houses animals found in North America.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Haubrich intends to build a new street to be called Eastwood Circle that would have access off Handel, 17 of the houses would have driveways connecting to Eastwood.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The list of signatories includes many of the field’s most prominent names, more than 50 of whom have spoken at previous congresses.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
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Palestinian soccer officials have long argued — including at FIFA annual congresses across the past 15 years, before Infantino was president — that Israel violates statutes by letting teams from settlements in the West Bank play in the national league.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legislatures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legislatures. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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