LAWFARE

What Does Lawfare Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

Lawfare means "Use of Legal Proceedings to Intimidate, Delegitimize, or Damage an Opponent."

More Observations...

Lawfare is the use of the legal system to intimidate, delegitimize, or damage an adversary. Lawfare may take place at every level, from international (e.g., the sanctions imposed against Russia) to local and individual (e.g., through the use of costly legal proceedings to deter individuals from pursuing their legal rights, or activist groups from challenging the actions of corporations). Lawfare can also refer to the legal actions taken by repressive regimes to discourage their populations from exercising their internationally-recognized legal rights.

Image for Lawfare

When I write Lawfare, I mean this:

"Use of Legal Proceedings to Intimidate, Delegitimize, or Damage an Opponent"

Summary of Key Points

"Use of Legal Proceedings to Intimidate, Delegitimize, or Damage an Opponent" is, by far, the most common meaning for Lawfare when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

Lawfare
Definition:	Use of Legal Proceedings to Intimidate, Delegitimize, or Damage an Opponent
Type:	Word
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at Lawfare

As it is formed by merging two words into one, lawfare is a portmanteau word. It is a combination of the words law and fare (from warfare).

Example of Lawfare Used in a Text

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