garnishment

American  

[gahr-nish-muhnt] / ˈgɑr nɪʃ mənt /

noun

1. Law.

   1. a warning, served on a third party to hold, subject to the court's direction, money or property belonging to a debtor who is being sued by a creditor.

   2. a summons to a third party to appear in litigation pending between a creditor and debtor.

2. adornment or decoration.

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garnishment British  

/ ˈɡɑːnɪʃmənt /

noun

1. the act of garnishing

2. decoration or embellishment; garnish

3. law

   1. a notice or warning

   2. obsolete a summons to court proceedings already in progress

   3. a notice warning a person holding money or property belonging to a debtor whose debt has been attached to hold such property until directed by the court to apply it

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Etymology

Origin of garnishment

First recorded in 1540–50; garnish + -ment

Example Sentences

“That garnishment actually pushed me below minimum wage. How was that legal?”

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Monthly payments are lower than under garnishment, and loans can eventually be forgiven.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

The “next phase” of those efforts was garnishment, McMahon told reporters, “and that’s been put on pause,” she said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

“Actually there is a pause on that at the moment,” McMahon said in response to a question from a reporter about whether she was concerned wage garnishment would make struggling borrowers’ financial situation worse.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

All German soldiers' trousers have this extra garnishment of buttons aft.

From Paths of Glory Impressions of War Written at and Near the Front by Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury)