law-abiding

adjective

law-abid·​ing ˈlȯ-ə-ˌbī-diŋ How to pronounce law-abiding (audio)
: abiding by or obedient to the law
law-abiding citizens
law-abidingness noun

Examples of law-abiding in a Sentence

the law-abiding citizens of the neighborhood did everything they could to help reduce street crime
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Business leaders and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have come together on Capitol Hill to urge the president to address labor shortages, implement fair immigration reform and provide economic opportunities for law-abiding immigrants contributing to the nation's growth. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025 The foreign freeloaders were totally law-abiding, here to do the jobs Americans wouldn’t do. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025 Muslim advocacy groups were incensed by the government’s targeting of their communities for deradicalization programs, blaming CVE for stigmatizing law-abiding families and contributing to anti-Muslim hostility. Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 20 Mar. 2025 The resolution urges the administration to consider new safeguards for law-abiding immigrants who were previously protected by TPS. Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for law-abiding

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of law-abiding was in 1834

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Law-abiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law-abiding. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

law-abiding

adjective
law-abid·​ing
ˈlȯ-ə-ˌbīd-iŋ
: obedient to the law

Legal Definition

law-abiding

adjective
law-abid·​ing
ˈlȯ-ə-ˈbī-diŋ
: abiding by or obedient to the law
law-abidingness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on law-abiding

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!