The state of being united as spouses in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law
The mutual relation of married persons : WEDLOCK
The institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage
An intimate or close union – the marriage of painting and poetry 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.
Synonyms
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Example Sentences
It was his second marriage. They have a very happy marriage. She has old-fashioned ideas about marriage. couples living together before marriageSee More
Recent Examples on the WebA few hours later, a taxi dropped us at the Las Vegas Office of Civil Marriages. Noel Anenberg, WSJ, 10 Apr. 2017 For centuries, the island was the traditional meeting place to hand off brides and grooms when important royal marriages were arranged between France and Spain. Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2017 His marriages to Carol Thompson and Judith Sherman ended in divorce. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2017