lawman

noun
law·​man | \ ˈlȯ-mən How to pronounce lawman (audio) \

Definition of lawman

: a law-enforcement officer (such as a sheriff or marshal)

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Synonyms for lawman

Synonyms

bobby [British], bull [slang], constable [chiefly British], cop, copper, flatfoot [slang], fuzz, gendarme, officer, police officer, policeman, shamus [slang]

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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

Buy a California fishing license at Convict Lake, named for a gang of desperadoes who broke out of a Nevada jail in 1871 and met their end in a shootout with lawmen here. Katherine Rodeghier, Dallas News, "Discover Mammoth Lakes, Yosemite’s lesser-known neighbor," 16 July 2019 The lawmen also said a cousin of Fernandez named Victor Hugo Gomez was trying to exact revenge for Fernandez supposedly turning him in to police, which landed Gomez in jail eight years ago. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, "Speculation about motive for David Ortiz shooting still rampant in Dominican Republic," 24 June 2019 The portrait traces him from Southern boy to Western lawman defending boomtowns with his brothers and Doc Holliday. Los Angeles Times, "Here are the feature and TV films airing the week of Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019," 11 Aug. 2019 In a pair of photos, two white lawmen atop horses guide a bound black man with a rope down a wide and empty street. Alex Horton, BostonGlobe.com, "Texas police chief apologizes after officers on horseback lead black man through the streets by rope," 6 Aug. 2019 His attorney, Mike DeGeurin, said the lawman was still recovering from his wound. St. John Barned-smith, Houston Chronicle, "Bail set for deputy charged in wife's shooting death," 31 July 2019 Hooten said lawmen found the 16-year-old unresponsive in the passenger’s seat. Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, "2 suspects - ages 16 and 20 - charged in deadly shooting at Brighton mobile home park," 30 July 2019 Deputies generally must be invited to join the exclusive clubs, whose members brand themselves with tattoos that often include skull designs and a unique number denoting the deputy’s place in the lineage of lawmen in the fellowship. Los Angeles Times, "L.A. County sheriff’s watchdog might gain subpoena power for investigating deputy gangs," 23 July 2019 The agency said officers were attempting to arrest Cannon for outstanding felony warrants when Cannon tried to flee and tackled one lawman to the ground. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Man sent to prison for resisting SDPD in controversial arrest caught on video," 20 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lawman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of lawman

1944, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for lawman

lawman

noun

English Language Learners Definition of lawman

US : someone (such as a sheriff or marshal) whose job is to make sure that people obey the law

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