martial law

noun

1
: the law applied in occupied territory by the military authority of the occupying power
2
: the law administered by military forces that is invoked by a government in an emergency when the civilian law enforcement agencies are unable to maintain public order and safety

Examples of martial law in a Sentence

The government has imposed martial law throughout the city to stop the riots. an area placed under martial law
Recent Examples on the Web Although citizens can voluntarily join the military starting at age 18, and men between 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country under martial law, the draft has until now protected younger men — many of whom are students — from being forcibly mobilized. Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Tusk, who served as Poland's prime minister in 2007-2014, also noted that the ceremony was taking place exactly 42 years after the country's communist regime of the time imposed martial law to try to destroy the surging Solidarity freedom movement. Monika Scislowska The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2023 His family had been impoverished, his early novels were subject to state censorship, and, in 1982, after Poland fell under martial law, Lem left his home in Krakow, first for West Berlin and then for Vienna. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2024 Kyiv has made clear there will be no elections at a time of war and martial law, given that so much of the population is displaced and so much Ukrainian territory is under occupation. Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2024 But a jury found the Army veteran, who lived in both Willcox and the Phoenix area, guilty of seditious conspiracy for plotting to organize weapons and supplies delivery to a group of Oath Keepers should Trump invoke martial law. The Arizona Republic, 6 Jan. 2024 Wallace took command of Cincinnati, Newport and Covington and declared martial law on Sept. 1. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 28 Jan. 2024 Under martial law, all men between 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country, lest a decision be taken to draft them. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 When martial law is imposed overnight, shutting down the country, visiting guest lecturer British psychiatry professor Dr Joan Andrews (Manville) arrives just as taxis have been replaced by tanks and citizens are treated like criminals. Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'martial law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of martial law was in 1576

Dictionary Entries Near martial law

Cite this Entry

“Martial law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martial%20law. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

martial law

noun
: the law applied by military forces in occupied territory or in an emergency

Legal Definition

martial law

noun
mar·​tial law
ˈmär-shəl-
1
: the law applied in occupied territory by the military authority of the occupying power
2
: the law administered by military forces that is invoked by a government in an emergency when civilian law enforcement agencies are unable to maintain public order and safety compare military law

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