COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

common-law marriage

noun

Definition of common-law marriage

as in mixed marriage

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for common-law marriage

Noun

Conversion was easy, mixed marriage relatively common, and many did not belong to a church.

— Colleen Dulle, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
His mother, Marie Jillich, went by Miriam to appease her in-laws who disapproved of the mixed marriage.

— Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026

Definition of mixed marriage

Noun

Math alone makes opening domestic partnership to polyamorous relationships challenging.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Life is full of necessary but mundane tasks, and in a domestic partnership, division of labor—who is doing the cooking, who is cleaning, who's got a handle on laundry—always comes up.

— Jana Pollack, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026

Definition of domestic partnership

Noun

Benefits — other than the merchandise discounts — applied to both former commissioners and eligible family members, including spouses or civil union partners and dependent children up to age 21.

— Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Mary and Romain entered into a civil union in 2018, and celebrated their nuptials with a wedding ceremony the following year.

— Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 24 Sep. 2024

Definition of civil union

Noun

Almost everywhere else in the city, women would need one — except at this venue, which tries to not upset the precarious balance of the religion-nightlife cohabitation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Given that they’ve been estranged for so long, the new cohabitation brings tension, awkwardness and lots of comedy.

— Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cohabitation

Noun

Yet while this measure is undeniably helpful, its effectiveness may still hinge on strict remarriage qualifications, which may limit the benefits available to deserving families.

— Cristina Johnson, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
My 30s were shaped by divorce, remarriage and raising young children.

— Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of remarriage

Noun

And ethnic minorities during the Ming dynasty were pressured into intermarriage, just as the 2026 Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress codifies Beijing’s new policies on forcible ethnic assimilation.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
So did laws and court rulings that followed — barring Black men from the militia, barring Black adults from juries, barring Black children from learning alongside white children in public schools, and barring racial intermarriage.

— Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Definition of intermarriage

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.

Browse Nearby Words

common law

common-law marriage

common-law marriages

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Common-law marriage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/common-law%20marriage. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of common-law marriage

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on common-law marriage

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Luddite

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes