variants
or less commonly byelaw
1
: a rule adopted by an organization chiefly for the government of its members and the regulation of its affairs
2
: a local ordinance
Examples of bylaw in a Sentence
the club's bylaws bar any member whose annual dues remain unpaid from voting in the election
Recent Examples on the Web
Until the issue is resolved one way or another, the current bylaw allowing transgender student participation remains in place.
—
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 11 Feb. 2025
In the second half of last year, the boards of the four organizations that make up the Aurora Regional Economic Alliance voted to consolidate, so a lawyer was hired and bylaws were drafted, then adopted and became effective in December, O’Brien said.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
Wisconsin star cornerback Xavier Lucas says that Wisconsin is blocking him from entering the transfer portal, which would violate NCAA bylaws.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
Now, after weeks of lawyerly wrangling over the semantics of church bylaws, members of the Riverside congregation will vote on a resolution to keep Weekday open for at least one more year and to determine a long-term plan for the school.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bylaw 
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.
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 11 Feb. 2025
In the second half of last year, the boards of the four organizations that make up the Aurora Regional Economic Alliance voted to consolidate, so a lawyer was hired and bylaws were drafted, then adopted and became effective in December, O’Brien said.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
Wisconsin star cornerback Xavier Lucas says that Wisconsin is blocking him from entering the transfer portal, which would violate NCAA bylaws.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
Now, after weeks of lawyerly wrangling over the semantics of church bylaws, members of the Riverside congregation will vote on a resolution to keep Weekday open for at least one more year and to determine a long-term plan for the school.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bylaw
Dictionary Entries Near bylaw
Cite this Entry
“Bylaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bylaw. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bylaw
noun
by·law
ˈbī-ˌlȯ 
: a rule adopted by an organization for governing its members and regulating its affairs
Etymology
Middle English bilawe "bylaw," probably from an early Norse compound of bȳr "town" and lǫg "law"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share