Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

copyright law

American  
[kop-ee-rahyt law] / ˈkɒp iˌraɪt ˈlɔ /

noun

  1. the body of laws and regulations that govern the exclusive rights of an author or creator to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit their literary, musical, or artistic work.

    This website will not be held responsible for member-posted information that may violate copyright law.

    U.S. copyright law protects photos, and a patchwork of state laws limits the use of your name or likeness without permission.


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:

“Copyright litigation is really expensive and very unpredictable,” said García, who focuses on copyright law.

From Los Angeles Times May 2, 2026

Charles Rivkin, the chairman and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association, called on ByteDance to "immediately cease its infringing activity," accusing it of disregarding copyright law that protects creators and underpins millions of jobs.

From Barron's Apr. 24, 2026

“ByteDance is disregarding well-established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and underpins millions of American jobs,” the association said Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 14, 2026

Alina Trapova, an assistant professor in copyright law at University College London, also believes it to be first time an actor has attempted to use trademark law to their benefit against AI.

From BBC Jan. 15, 2026

The great damage to America, and to American literature, from the want of an international copyright law, is not the thousands of dollars per annum which authors lose.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 120, October, 1867. by Various

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training