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; 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

District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley signaled he was preparing to issue a preliminary injunction that would prevent Nexstar and Tegna from combining operations amid an ongoing legal challenge.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

The judge’s preliminary injunction applies only to public colleges and universities in the states that sued while the case proceeds through litigation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

In a ruling, Mr Justice Choudhury refused the injunction bid, stating Mr Rosindell's case was "intrinsically weak" and that he "ought to have realised that he had surrendered his right to occupy" his office.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Anthropic fought back in court, and federal Judge Rita Lin on Thursday sided with the company and issued the injunction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

A group of Long Island citizens led by the world-famous ornithologist Robert Cushman Murphy had sought a court injunction to prevent the 1957 spraying.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

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