grandfather clause

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Supreme Court struck down what many states were using to keep Black people from voting — the grandfather clause.

From Seattle Times

But a grandfather clause allowed already-established stores to continue the practice.

From Seattle Times

Even “grandfather” and “grandfathered” are out because they have “roots in the ‘grandfather clause’ adopted by Southern states to deny voting rights to Blacks.”

From Washington Times

Arnold Schwarzenegger repealed the so-called grandfather clause on smog checks, which exempted cars older than 30 years.

From Los Angeles Times

His opinion opened the door to the kinds of restrictions — poll taxes, literacy tests and grandfather clauses — that Southern states would eventually use to disenfranchise their Black populations.

From New York Times