martial law

American  

noun

1. the law temporarily imposed upon an area by state or national military forces when civil authority has broken down or during wartime military operations.

2. the law imposed upon a defeated country or occupied territory by the military forces of the occupying power.

---

martial law British  

noun

1. the rule of law established and maintained by the military in the absence of civil law

---

Usage

What is martial law? Martial law is when a state is put under control of the military, usually temporarily and as a result of an emergency or crisis that has broken down the usual civil authority and order. How is martial law pronounced?[ mahr-shuhl law ]

Etymology

Origin of martial law

First recorded in 1525–35

Example Sentences

The lawmakers had unanimously voted to strike down the martial law attempt, and within another three hours Yoon had backed down.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

Though smaller in scale, these demonstrations were no less emphatic than those denouncing the martial law attempt.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol apologised Friday for the "hardship" caused by his 2024 martial law decree, one day after he was sentenced to life in prison for insurrection.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Yoon, arguing that he had planned to declare martial law as much as a year in advance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

And so we scramble to do what he says, because red-handed is red-handed, and this is martial law, and Jacqui’s motivational poster is truer than anything right now.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman