J. T. Shawcross
Usage of Marriage
The definition of the word marriage—or, more accurately, the understanding of what the institution of marriage properly consists of—continues to be highly controversial. This is not an issue to be resolved by dictionaries. Ultimately, the controversy involves cultural traditions, religious beliefs, legal rulings, and ideas about fairness and basic human rights. The principal point of dispute has to do with marriage between two people of the same sex, often referred to as same-sex marriage or gay marriage. Same-sex marriages are now recognized by law in a growing number of countries and were legally validated throughout the U.S. by the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015. In many other parts of the world, marriage continues to be allowed only between men and women. The definition of marriage shown here is intentionally broad enough to encompass the different types of marriage that are currently recognized in varying cultures, places, religions, and systems of law.
Examples of marriage in a Sentence
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
The numbers also represent less than one-third of the 13.5 million marriages registered from January to September 2013, when marriages peaked.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
In 2023, Germany’s divorce rate exceeded a third of all marriages, with the average couple having been married for almost 15 years.
—Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 30 Oct. 2024
The reasons for the marriage’s end are never discussed.
—Variety, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for marriage 
Dictionary Entries Near marriage
Cite this Entry
“Marriage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marriage. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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marriage
noun
Legal Definition
marriage
noun
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