lawman
noun
an officer of the law, as a sheriff or police officer.
lawman
1 American
[law-man, -muhn]
/ ˈlɔˌmæn, -mən /
noun
-
lawmen
plural
Lawman
2
American
[law-muhn]
/ ˈlɔ mən /
noun
lawman
British
/ ˈlɔːmən /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lawman
before 1000; Middle English laweman, earlier lageman, Old English lahmann. See law 1, -man
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:
The FBI’s lead investigator was Joe Sullivan, whom Tom Clancy called “the greatest lawman America ever produced.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
“Sheriff Pusser inspired thousands to enter into law enforcement,” Sweat told me, gesturing to a Pusser admirer turned lawman who had just visited his shop to talk Pusser.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2025
A.I. is becoming more lifelike by the day, making Olyphant’s quirky and very human contribution to the series’ android lineage a special kick to watch, and a welcome departure from his various lawman roles.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2025
The former lawman agreed to prosecutor-recommended sentences ranging from five to 30 years, although the judge isn’t bound by that agreement.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2024
“You wouldn’t happen to be the same crackerjack lawman who fell asleep in his car while the vandal trashed our survey stakes, would you?”
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
The Lawman has gone but what a life he lived and what a player he was.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025
Lawman Bass Reeves is one of the best-known Black historical figures from the Old West.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2021
Texas Sen. John Cornyn ... is the guy who gave officer Tom Coleman the Texas "Lawman of the Year" award for his great work in Tulia, Texas.
From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2021
The last of those was the famous match in which they symbolically – if not actually – relegated United, the Lawman beating up the wrong guys and all that.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 26, 2016
Thorir said there was an easy way of settling it between them; they need only wait for the All-Thing and accept what seemed right to the Lawman.
From Grettir the Strong, Icelandic Saga by Unknown
For nearly a decade, four small-town Louisiana lawmen and a Subway shop owner manufactured phony crime reports to help foreign nationals stay in the U.S., federal prosecutors say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
And in this scene, the lawmen converge to arrest one person they believe they can get information from, Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
From New York Times ● Feb. 16, 2024
In exchange, the attorneys lavished the two veteran lawmen with nearly $100,000 in cash and gifts, federal prosecutors said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 23, 2024
He had played killers, single fathers and lawmen on other shows, but casting agents could not overcome their perception of him as clean-cut and earnest Wally.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 27, 2022
But, given the number of people present during the autopsy—including the local lawmen, the undertaker, and Mathis, the Big Hill Trading Company owner—it seemed impossible to say who the culprit was.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
