executive order

American  

noun

(often initial capital letters)

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.

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Etymology

Origin of executive order

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

And an executive order signed by President Barack Obama in 2012 delegated this authority to the secretary of defense.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

In April, he signed an executive order to limit the practise by creating lists of US citizens who are eligible to vote in each state.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

The White House issued an executive order for voluntary cybersecurity threat assessment of AI models.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

It was the first executive order signed by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who had just taken office.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

But without any high-ranking connections, they didn’t have a way to ask for an exemption to the Red Zone executive order.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone