rule of law

American  

noun

1. the principle that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced; the principle of government by law.

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Usage

What is the rule of law? The rule of law refers to the idea that everyone in a society agrees to be governed by and follow the laws of a society.

Etymology

Origin of rule of law

First recorded in 1500–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rule of law

The goal, he wrote, was “a decent society in which the Constitution and the rule of law treat all with dignity and equality.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

The rule of law is reduced to a mere instrument of domination if the law isn’t grounded in reason and reality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

"Through centuries of shared challenge and achievement, our nations have built a relationship founded on friendship, trust and a belief in liberty, the rule of law and the dignity of all people."

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

But they’re how you can tell we’re sticking up for the rule of law.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026

She was not one of the reformers who had campaigned for Prohibition, but she believed in the rule of law, and the rise of the gangsters appalled her.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield