lawman

noun

law·​man ˈlȯ-mən How to pronounce lawman (audio)
Synonyms of lawmannext
: a law-enforcement officer (such as a sheriff or marshal)

Synonyms of lawman

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Examples of lawman in a Sentence

Wyatt Earp was a famous American lawman of the Wild West. as the rural county's chief lawman, the sheriff has to patrol a vast area with only minimal manpower
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the lawman asks for compensation for the fallen man’s widow, Cypher’s Frank Tanner summons a force to battle him. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, a lynch mob formed by the notorious Lake County lawman, Sheriff Willis McCall, shot Thomas, 26, hundreds of times and killed him in a Panhandle encounter, as Thomas tried to flee the state days after Padgett’s accusations. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026 Pursued by legendary lawman Pat Garrett and his ambitious young deputy, Ross takes refuge at a remote homestead ravaged by diphtheria. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 13 May 2026 The moral decay of Karensville might as well be Charlottesville and the epithet-spewing McLeoud behaves too much like myriad red-state lawmen for comfort. — Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lawman

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lawman was in 1937

Rhymes for lawman

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Browse Nearby Words

lawmaker
lawman
law merchant
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Cite this Entry

“Lawman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawman. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lawman

noun
law·​man ˈlȯ-mən How to pronounce lawman (audio)
: a law-enforcement officer (as a sheriff or marshal)

More from Merriam-Webster on lawman

Nglish: Translation of lawman for Spanish Speakers

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