B1noun3K

Lawmaker

UK /["/ˈlɔːmeɪkə(r)/"]/US /["/ˈlɔːmeɪkər/"]/

Definition

a politician who helps make the laws of a country

In simple words: A person who makes or changes laws.

Examples

  • State lawmakers have been arguing over the new healthcare reform bill for months.

Usage notes

Used in discussions about politics or governance. Appropriate in news articles and formal discussions. Less common in casual conversations.

Grammar pattern

lawmaker + subject complement

Memory hint

Think of 'law' + 'maker' – someone who makes the laws.

Collocations

  • state lawmaker
  • federal lawmaker
  • elected lawmaker
  • current lawmaker
  • lawmaker's proposal

Synonyms

  • legislator

Antonyms

  • lawbreaker
  • criminal

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'lawyer' - a lawyer represents clients while a lawmaker creates laws.
  • Mixing up 'lawmaker' and 'legislator' - often used interchangeably but may have slight nuance based on context.