gag order

American  

[gag awr-der] / ˈgæg ˌɔr dər /

noun

Law.

1. a court order banning reporters, attorneys, and other parties involved in a case being tried in a court of law from reporting on or publicly disclosing anything relating to the case.

---

Etymology

Origin of gag order

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

"I agreed to a one-year gag order, which seemed important to the prince because it ensured his mother's Platinum Jubilee would not be tarnished any more than it already had been," she writes.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2025

He was released to house arrest after 183 days and has been under a media gag order since.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025

Under the current gag order, the documents are exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2025

How was the gag order for law enforcement and other key people close to the case a challenge in telling your story?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2025

Americans, not bound by the gag order, began posting accounts of the trial — which any Canadian with a Net account could promptly read.

From Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet by Electronic Frontier Foundation