executive order

American  

noun

(often initial capital letters)

executive orders plural

1. an order having the force of law issued by the president of the U.S. to the army, navy, or other part of the executive branch of the government.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• executive orders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of executive order

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

executive order

Days later, two transgender girls who were the first to challenge Trump’s executive order dropped their lawsuit in New Hampshire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Ms. Hochul announced the moratorium Tuesday in an executive order that suspends permitting for data centers while her administration works on a “regulatory framework.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

That, after all, is the point of the rule, to broaden access to “the potential growth and diversification opportunities associated with alternative asset investments,” as Trump’s executive order put it.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

The government is now drawing up criteria for which AI models would fall under new security restrictions, in accordance with an executive order from the White House.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

That March, the president issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination in the federal government on the basis of race, religion, or national origin.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson