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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of martial law
The charges are unprecedented for a South Korean president, and if convicted, Yoon could face years in prison for his shock martial law decree, which sought to ban political and parliamentary activity and control the media.
—
Reuters, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
To be sure, no vote in Ukraine is scheduled — or even possible, election experts say — while the war rages and the country is under martial law.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
The country’s democracy will face serious struggles, even if Yoon’s night of martial law is just a bad memory.
—John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2025
Yoon rescinded his martial law after about six hours after lawmakers, confronting soldiers in parliament, voted down the decree.
—Reuters, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for martial law 
Reuters, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
To be sure, no vote in Ukraine is scheduled — or even possible, election experts say — while the war rages and the country is under martial law.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
The country’s democracy will face serious struggles, even if Yoon’s night of martial law is just a bad memory.
—John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 27 Jan. 2025
Yoon rescinded his martial law after about six hours after lawmakers, confronting soldiers in parliament, voted down the decree.
—Reuters, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
Noun
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Last year, Disney’s DEI programs came under attack by Stephen Miller’s America First Legal foundation, which claimed that initiatives to boost diversity and inclusion violate civil rights laws and have tanked the entertainment giant’s value.—
Winston Cho,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Feb. 2025
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Likewise, Poland’s Law and Justice party weakened civil service laws by doing away with the competitive hiring process and filling the bureaucracy, the judiciary, and the military with partisan allies.—
STEVEN LEVITSKY,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Indeed, citizenship for anyone born in the U.S. is enshrined not just in the Constitution, its supporters argue, but in the foundation for all American law: English common law.—
Henry Gass,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Jan. 2025
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The lawsuit alleges the defendants’ service violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Lanham Act, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and constitutes wire fraud, access device fraud, common law trespass, and tortious interference.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In order to create the trust fund, a ordinance needs to be passed by the Scott County Board.—
Alex Malm,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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The initiatives are intended to prevent unintended consequences of the new ordinances that could counter the city's goals of reducing its homelessness crisis.—
Jason Clayworth,
Axios,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To avoid a painful shutdown, Congress will need to pass legislation designating new spending level or extend current ones.—
Riley Beggin,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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Texan highways started seeing autonomous semi trucks by 2021, the same year the Texas House passed legislation that filled in some missing gaps.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
Ars Technica,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There has been a land redistribution and restitution provision in the country’s constitution since South Africa emerged from its apartheid era and held its first democratic elections in 1994.—
Alejandra Jaramillo,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
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In 2005, the new Iraqi constitution granted the Kurdish territory in Northern Iraq federal status, marking a historic moment in Kurdish self-determination.—
Sefa Secen & Serhun Al / Made by History,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial%20law. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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