martial law

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

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 Marcos’ declaration of martial law in 1972, which suspended most civil liberties, shuttered what had been Asia’s freest press. Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025 Trump and his advisers such as Elon Musk have criticized Ukraine’s indefinite postponement of elections scheduled for 2024, delayed because the country is under martial law following its invasion by Russia. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025 He was elected president in 2019 and would have faced reelection in 2024, but the country has been under martial law since the war. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025 But new presidential elections in Ukraine can’t take place until martial law is lifted. Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for martial law
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial law
Noun
  • The truth was somewhere in the middle: No, Kid Nation was never officially charged with violating child labor laws, but one kid did accidentally drink bleach — and another sustained a minor burn while cooking.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • This decision follows the university’s denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request made two years ago by Michael LeRoy, a U of I law professor who studies college sports.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • It is based upon a legal doctrine rooted in English common law and enshrined in the 11th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from being sued in federal court without their consent.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
  • In each case, the Nonhuman Rights Project demanded that the court issue a common law writ of habeas corpus, a writ typically used to determine whether the detention of a prisoner is lawful, on behalf of a chimpanzee.
    Steven M. Wise, Foreign Affairs, 11 July 2016
Noun
  • The city passed an ordinance prohibiting short-term rentals in 2018, however a judge temporarily blocked its enforcement after a handful of property owners challenged the ban in November 2018.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The Merrillville Town Council deferring an ordinance separating the office of Clerk-Treasurer into two positions doesn’t mean it’s been pulled from consideration, according to the town manager.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In February, Greenpeace International filed its own claim against Energy Transfer in a Dutch court using the European Union’s anti-SLAPP legislation, seeking to recover the damages and costs the organization has incurred as a result of the company’s lawsuits.
    Laura Paddison, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The House hasn’t heard any companion legislation yet.
    Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Florida’s 1885 constitution required voter approval for all constitutional amendments beginning in 1886.
    Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The critical role of public health agencies The CDC opened in 1946 as a small organization based in Atlanta, aimed at fighting malaria in the U.S. Two years later, representatives from 53 countries ratified the constitution of the WHO.
    Katherine A. Foss, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 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 30 Mar. 2025.

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