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gavel-to-gavel

American  

adjective

  1. from the opening to the closing of a formal session or series of sessions.

    gavel-to-gavel television coverage of the Congressional hearing.


Etymology

Origin of gavel-to-gavel

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the real problems began in 1973, when the service broadcast gavel-to-gavel prime-time coverage of the Watergate hearings, earning the enmity of President Richard Nixon.

From Salon • Aug. 6, 2025

Mr. Bensky’s gavel-to-gavel coverage of the congressional Iran-contra hearings of 1987 put the Pacifica network on the map, earning him a prestigious Polk Award for radio reporting.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2024

The channel, airing on channel 5.3 in Los Angeles, recently scored its largest audiences ever with its gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2022

For the Watergate hearings, the three major networks rotated daily, gavel-to-gavel coverage.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2022

Chauvin’s trial was Minnesota’s first criminal case in which gavel-to-gavel coverage was allowed.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 5, 2021

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