LAWS Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

laws

noun

plural of law

as in acts

a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature a record number of laws were passed in that legislative session

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

higher laws

as in constitutions

a collection or system of rules of conduct it's important to obey the law at all times, or else you might end up in jail

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as in police

the department of government that keeps order, fights crime, and enforces statutes a petty thief who had somehow managed to avoid the law for most of his life

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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 laws The state agency oversees the facility’s air and water quality permits and compliance with environmental waste laws. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Johnson has repeatedly spoken out about how Missouri’s gun laws have hampered prosecuting the case, after two of the men charged in the shooting received plea agreements. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 In an agricultural county where Latinos make up 27% of residents, Idaho leaders encourage local cooperation with ICE — a level of coordination barred by sanctuary laws in neighboring states. — Rachel Spacek, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Rubinger’s case did not result in criminal charges A spokesman for Rubinger, Erick Mullen, did not answer questions about the nurse practitioner’s treatment of Davis or any other athlete, citing medical privacy laws. — Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 None of this suggests attorneys general should hesitate to enforce antitrust laws when genuine violations occur. — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026 Abbott has exposed one of several loopholes in extradition laws that are likely to lead to more conflict between states in the future, said Ethan Lowens, a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 Shinkafi believes a combination of tax holidays, full repatriation of earnings and a non-insistence on part ownership in mining projects makes Nigeria’s mining laws friendly to investors. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Violations of these laws may result in criminal fines and imprisonment. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laws

Noun

These belated acts of institutional integration are part of a necessary and long overdue revision of West German art history’s mechanisms of exclusion.

— Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Its most prominent acts include Junior H, Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of acts

Noun

The decision echoes those seen in several former Soviet republics, including Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where leaders have used new or amended constitutions to revise statutory term limits.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Competitions have been created and then shelved within a few years, constitutions adopted and then rewritten, and the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the oldest domestic tournament in Pakistan, was trimmed from 18 teams to 10 for the 2025-26 edition.

— Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of constitutions

Noun

Blytheville Police Chief John Frazier deferred to the state police when reached by phone on Sunday.

— Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
According to the police documents obtained by Law & Crime, Weatherall, 22, ordered a Lyft ride to an apartment complex in Greenville.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of police

Noun

Known for his connections to Richard’s Bar, the old-school tavern where the city’s smoking ordinances never seem to be enforced, Dominic has reputed Outfit ties that go back many years.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
The conversation shifted from tougher ordinances toward resource allocation and investing in third spaces, which are places outside of work, school or home.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of ordinances

Noun

Flock Safety announced some changes to its policies in mid-August after reports of misuse, including requiring officers to enter specific codes.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Ballot envelopes would have to comply with new Postal Service rules and include bar codes.

— Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of codes

Noun

Such offenses are commonly prosecuted under voyeurism or invasion-of-privacy statutes, though some states have adopted laws specifically targeting upskirting.

— Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
And the states argued that these practices violated state consumer protection statutes as well.

— Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of statutes

Noun

That evolution is particularly relevant in the utility industry, where electricity demand is growing, grids need modernization and companies face mounting pressure to invest while keeping customer bills affordable.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Johannesburg’s finances are collapsing under the weight of unpaid bills, leaving South Africa’s economic hub cash-starved and politically rudderless, according to a new report.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of bills

Noun

The Public Advocates Office, the independent consumer advocate at the Public Utilities Commission, said recent amendments to the bill did not address its concerns about shifting costs from one group of ratepayers to another.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Apply Amendments If the results of the soil sample indicate the need for amendments, they should be applied before reseeding.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of amendments

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lawns

laws

lawsuit

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“Laws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laws. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of laws

noun

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