Law vs Statute

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Law

Formal Top 1,000 (very common) A2 noun

Statute

Formal Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Most common: Law

	Law	Statute
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/lɔː/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/lɔː/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈstætjuːt// 🇺🇸 //ˈstætʃuːt//
Meaning	Rules made by a government to keep order.	A law made by a government.
Example	The law requires that all drivers have insurance.	The new statute aims to reduce pollution in urban areas.
Register	Formal	Formal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	A2	-
Part of speech	noun
Collocations	administrative, case, civil, become, apply, enforce, allow something, authorize something, permit something, court, case, suit, above the law, against the law, beyond the law, as the law stands, law and order, the law of the land, administrative, case, civil, become, apply, enforce, allow something, authorize something, permit something, court, case, suit, above the law, against the law, beyond the law, as the law stands, law and order, the law of the land, administrative, case, civil, become, apply, enforce, allow something, authorize something, permit something, court, case, suit, above the law, against the law, beyond the law, as the law stands, law and order, the law of the land, practise/​practice, firm, school	pass a statute, amend a statute, statute law, enact a statute, statute of limitations
Antonyms	anarchy, chaos	-
Common mistakes	Confused with 'lawsuit' — remember 'law' is a set of rules, while 'lawsuit' refers to a legal case., 'Law' vs. 'rule' — 'law' is official, while a 'rule' can be informal or less strict.	Confused with 'statue' - a figure made of stone or metal., Using 'statute' when referring to common laws or regulations instead of written laws., Mispronouncing the word, confusing it with 'statue'.
Usage notes	Use 'law' in formal contexts when discussing legal matters. Avoid in casual conversations unless relevant to the topic.	Used primarily in legal contexts. Less common in everyday conversation. Appropriate in academic writing and official documentation.

See it in real clips

- We didn't. - Murphy's Law?

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

We said we'd lay down the law, we lay down the law.

- We didn't. - Murphy's Law?

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

We said we'd lay down the law, we lay down the law.

Law

Frequently asked questions: Law vs Statute

What's the difference between Law and Statute?

Law: Rules made by a government to keep order. Statute: A law made by a government.

Which is more common: Law and Statute?

Law is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Law: The law requires that all drivers have insurance. Statute: The new statute aims to reduce pollution in urban areas.

Can I use Law and Statute interchangeably?

Not always. Law and Statute are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.