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.

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

He wants to punish those who speak out against him, who present cases against him and who, in doing their jobs to the letter of the law, go against his wishes.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025

From what you say, your father’s attorney did his due diligence and followed the letter of the law.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 23, 2025

“We can literally be following our side of action to the letter of the law, and you can basically violate our constitutional rights, and there’s no accountability for that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 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

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