injunction

American  

[in-juhngk-shuhn] / ɪnˈdʒʌŋk ʃən /

noun

1. Law. a judicial process or order requiring the person or persons to whom it is directed to do a particular act or to refrain from doing a particular act.

2. an act or instance of enjoining.

3. a command; order; admonition.

   the injunctions of the Lord.

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injunction British  

/ ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən /

noun

1. law an instruction or order issued by a court to a party to an action, esp to refrain from some act, such as causing a nuisance

2. a command, admonition, etc

3. the act of enjoining

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injunction Cultural  

1. A court order that either compels or restrains an act by an individual, organization, or government official. In labor – management relations, injunctions have been used to prevent workers from going on strike.

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Other Word Forms

• injunctive
  adjective
• injunctively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of injunction

1520–30; < Late Latin injunctiōn- (stem of injunctiō ), equivalent to Latin injunct ( us ) (past participle of injungere to join to; see enjoin) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

If your school begins building a swimming pool on land that does not belong to it, the city might issue an injunction to stop it. An injunction is an official order issued by a judge. In general, injunctions are court ordered settlements or commands. In the United States, judges cannot create laws, but they can require someone to do something or to stop doing something. If you were wrongly fired from a job, a court may issue an injunction to your former employer, requiring him or her to hire you back or pay your back salary.

Example Sentences

The move backfired on Nexstar as a federal judge in Northern California issued a preliminary injunction, ordering Nexstar to halt the Tegna consolidation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

The tensions have already led to legal action, with a smaller union representing workers outside the semiconductor division filing an injunction on Tuesday, seeking to block the agreement they say disproportionately favours chip employees.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

District Court in Birmingham, Ala., issued a preliminary injunction directing the state to re-use the “race blind” maps the court created for the 2024 congressional election.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Sawyer is accused of breaching the council injunction by arranging for other people to carry out procedures.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Also I occasionally forgot the injunction not to flush the toilet at similar hours and, even worse, I went out after 10:00 p.m.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Related Words

• admonition
• ban
• embargo
• instruction
• mandate
• prohibition
• ruling
• writ