garnishment

American  

[gahr-nish-muhnt] / ˈgɑr nɪʃ mənt /

noun

garnishments plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• garnishments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of garnishment

First recorded in 1540–50; garnish + -ment

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

garnishment garnishments

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

From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026

After four months his drivers license will be suspended and personal property, like a car, could be repossessed, or even be subject to wage garnishment.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026

Only three million of these debtors, those who are delinquent for nine months or more, would be eligible for wage garnishment.

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

So much he gained that in three years’ time he had gotten him more than three hundred pounds of garnishment, out-taken his plenishing, which was well worth fifty pounds. 

From Old French Romances by Morris, William

From what I’ve read, bankruptcy is generally intended for more severe financial situations involving lawsuits, wage garnishments or collection actions.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

The department has since reversed course, delaying the garnishments.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

Last year it was ordered to pay a $10 million civil penalty over unlawful garnishments.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 11, 2023

The increasing number of lawsuits that hospitals file against patients to collect debt, which can lead to legal fees or wage garnishments, are not included in the figure.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2021

He was ever to the fore in retailing to his friends, plus certain garnishments of his own, any fresh evidence that chanced to come to light.

From The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Hume, Fergus