law-abiding
adjective
law-abid·ing
ˈlȯ-ə-ˌbī-diŋ 
: abiding by or obedient to the law
law-abiding citizens
law-abidingness
noun
Examples of law-abiding in a Sentence
the law-abiding citizens of the neighborhood did everything they could to help reduce street crime
Recent Examples on the Web
Sweeping up lots of folks Of course, geofencing can sweep up lots of completely innocent people as suspects, and critics warn that geofencing could be used by the government to spy on law-abiding citizens engaging in, among other things, lawful protests and political activity.
—
Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Speakers at the rally included leaders from various business sectors who emphasized the need for workers and the importance of passing work permits for long-term, law-abiding immigrants.
—Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
But the right of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families must be protected.
—Gayle Pearlstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
The most conspicuous act of local resistance — albeit a mild one — was the plea from a group of sheriffs and police chiefs to ease up on deporting undocumented law-abiding immigrants and to provide a path to normalization for the vast majority who have broken no law except by being here.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
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Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Speakers at the rally included leaders from various business sectors who emphasized the need for workers and the importance of passing work permits for long-term, law-abiding immigrants.
—Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
But the right of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families must be protected.
—Gayle Pearlstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
The most conspicuous act of local resistance — albeit a mild one — was the plea from a group of sheriffs and police chiefs to ease up on deporting undocumented law-abiding immigrants and to provide a path to normalization for the vast majority who have broken no law except by being here.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for law-abiding
Cite this Entry
“Law-abiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/law-abiding. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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