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lemon law

American  

noun

  1. a law that requires manufacturers to replace, repair, or refund the cost of automobiles that prove to be defective.


Etymology

Origin of lemon law

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Ford’s lawsuit marks the second attempt by one of America’s largest car manufacturers to go on the offense against lemon law attorneys in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 18, 2026

California’s lemon law, considered one of the strongest consumer protections in the nation, allows drivers to get a refund or replacement of a broken car if the manufacturer can’t fix it.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 18, 2026

Many still bring up one of his proudest achievements: Washington state’s motor vehicle lemon law.

From Seattle Times Feb. 21, 2023

Make sure you brush up on the lemon law in your state to help determine if this is the proper course of action.

From Seattle Times Jul. 21, 2021

Under the state's so-called lemon law, automakers must notify the department of motor vehicles as well as any future buyers when they repurchase flawed automobiles.

From Time Magazine Archive

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