martial law

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

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of martial law¹

First recorded in 1525–35

Example Sentences

The party sidelined Zhao for opposing martial law and later sent troops to crush the demonstrations—in what became known as the June 4 massacre—before purging him later that month.

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Such a move could also be a prelude to de facto martial law, cancelling elections and suspending other civil rights and freedoms.

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"This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law," she wrote in her ruling.

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“This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition,” she added: “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”

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Yoon was detained in January and is facing a separate trial over a failed martial law bid last year that plunged the country into chaos and led to his impeachment.

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When To Use

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 ]