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letter of the law

Idioms

The precise wording rather than the spirit or intent. For example, Since it was the first time he'd broken the rules, the school decided to ignore the letter of the law and just give him a warning. [Late 1500s]

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.

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letter of the law

I’ll go one step further: Everyone must abide by the letter of the law.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

Skeptics say the new rules illustrate the security risks inherent in approving the exports and that following them to the letter of the law might mean no shipments get approved.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026

"They are flouting the spirit and the letter of the law," he told CBS News on Sunday.

From BBC ● Dec. 21, 2025

“Agencies owe a duty to the public to be more proactive and more transparent, even than the bare minimum letter of the law might allow them to get away with,” Loy said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2025

His elaborate ruse worked, even though Washington was certainly breaking the letter of the law.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023