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Synonyms

law-abiding

American  
[law-uh-bahy-ding] / ˈlɔ əˌbaɪ dɪŋ /

adjective

  1. obeying or keeping the law; obedient to law.

    law-abiding citizens.


law-abiding British  

adjective

  1. adhering more or less strictly to the laws

    a law-abiding citizen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • law-abidingness noun

Etymology

Origin of law-abiding

First recorded in 1830–40

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.

But for critics, there’s an obvious downside: the potential tracking of law-abiding citizens without a warrant on a scale once thought unimaginable.

From Los Angeles Times

“And the insult added to that injury is an innocent party’s financial life can be turned upside down based on someone else’s fraud — conducted in the far-off past and entirely unbeknownst to the law-abiding party.”

From MarketWatch

"Honest and law-abiding Japanese entities have nothing to worry about," it added.

From Barron's

“For decades he lived a law-abiding life, raising his children and working in various cultural arenas,” they wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

San Jose is instead “a law-abiding city,” Mr. Mahan says.

From The Wall Street Journal