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.

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Etymology

Origin of gag order

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gag order

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

Was that due to the law enforcement gag order?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025

When these laws are interpreted as a gag order against “offensive speech concerning matters of race, sex, and other personal characteristics,” Cronin explained, they raise severe constitutional concerns.

From Slate ● Feb. 5, 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