de jure
adverb or adjective
(ˌ)dā-ˈyu̇r-
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Coming straight from Latin, de jure is a term used mostly, but not always, in legal writing. Sometimes it's not enough to have something written into law; if a law isn't enforced, it might as well not exist. And if ordinary citizens are too scared of what would happen to them if they exercised their rights, then they don't really have those rights at all. Unfortunately, many countries have constitutions and laws that sound good but turn out not to have much effect. So de jure is almost always used in contrast to something else; its opposite is de facto.
Examples of de jure in a Sentence
Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
Neither Netanyahu nor Biden seems willing or able to slow this determined effort at de facto and de jure annexation of the West Bank.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
Fresh, as in their acidity holds up, providing structure, purity and balance to an expression of Chardonnay (the de facto and de jure white grape of the region) that would frankly startle enthusiasts of the heavy-oak, big-fruit characteristics of much Chardonnay from California.
—Cathy Huyghe, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Neither Netanyahu nor Biden seem willing or able to slow this determined effort at de facto and de jure annexation of the West Bank.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for de jure 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'de jure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near de jure
Cite this Entry
“De jure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20jure. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
de jure
adverb or adjective
Medieval Latin, literally, from the law
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