eminent domain

American  

noun

Law.

1. the power of the state to take private property for public use with payment of compensation to the owner.

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eminent domain British  

noun

1. law the right of a state to confiscate private property for public use, payment usually being made to the owners in compensation

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eminent domain Cultural  

1. The right of a government to take private property for a public purpose, usually with just compensation of the owner.

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Etymology

Origin of eminent domain

First recorded in 1730–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eminent domain

The board ended up directing the mayor to try to negotiate for the fuel facility, but didn’t immediately allow her to use eminent domain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

Landowners in communities adjacent to the park are still gearing up to face eminent domain challenges from the federal government.

From Salon ● May 25, 2026

While it’s usually applied when the federal government exercises eminent domain and takes title to land, the takings clause also covers the government’s outright destruction of personal property.

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2026

Uribe, who signed the EPA petition, worries that his property’s value could be affected if a Superfund site is declared, or even that his property could be taken through eminent domain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024

The power of taxation is analogous to eminent domain as regards the purposes to which the contribution of the tax-payer is to be applied.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various

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