equal protection

noun

: a guarantee under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that a state must treat an individual or class of individuals the same as it treats other individuals or classes in like circumstances

Examples of equal protection in a Sentence

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.
The 14th Amendment deals mainly with equal protections granted to citizens under the law. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025 Shortly after Trump revoked the order, several transgender servicemembers sued his administration, alleging that the president's directive violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Sonam Sheth gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025 Proponents of Black suffrage rights fought hard to ensure that the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship and equal protection guarantees, enshrined in its first clause, were coupled with an apportionment penalty provision, its second clause. Made By History, Time, 2 Apr. 2025 That case does not stand for the principle that ostensibly race-neutral policies may violate equal protection. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for equal protection

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of equal protection was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Equal protection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equal%20protection. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Legal Definition

equal protection

noun
: a guarantee under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that a state must treat an individual or class of individuals the same as it treats other individuals or classes in like circumstances

called also equal protection of the law

see also rational basis test, strict scrutiny, suspect classification

Note: The equal protection requirement of the Constitution protects against legislation that affects individuals differently without a rational basis for doing so. In reviewing claims of denial of equal protection, a court will uphold legislation that has a rational basis unless the legislation affects a fundamental right or involves a suspect classification, such as race. In such a case, the court will use a strict scrutiny standard of review and will strike down legislation that does not show a compelling need for discriminating.

More from Merriam-Webster on equal protection

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!