lawfare

American  

[law-fair] / ˈlɔˌfɛər /

noun

1. the use of legal action to pressure or intimidate.

2. the use of legal systems to exert power over other countries or groups.

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lawfare British  

/ ˈlɔːˌfɛə /

noun

1. the use of the law by a country against its enemies, esp by challenging the legality of military or foreign policy

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Etymology

Origin of lawfare

C21: from _law + _warfare

Example Sentences

“The fund is going to plaintiffs who were victims of lawfare or weaponization. … Those are pretty ambiguous terms. They’re sort of in the eye of the beholder,” Nixon said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

But on the campaign trail, its top prime ministerial nominee, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, hoped that this time there would be "no lawfare to destroy us".

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

UMG shared a statement with several outlets calling Drake's claims "illogical" and accusing the rapper of engaging in lawfare.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2025

The legal report was written in part to counter such Chinese lawfare operations and deter a conflict with China by exposing and opposing unlawful military operations.

From Washington Times • Sep. 15, 2023

"To withstand lawfare journalists and media outlets need robust protection, they need training in how to avoid lawsuits altogether, they need resources to hire lawyers and cover legal fees," Power said.

From Reuters • May 2, 2023