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 judges blocked the tariffs for the business plaintiffs, though they declined to issue a universal injunction.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

In that case, a federal judge in Sacramento has issued a temporary injunction to freeze the merger until a trial on whether that deal violates century-old antitrust laws.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The trade panel also declined to impose a universal injunction against the government, meaning that importers everywhere don’t appear to get instant relief under the ruling.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit issued a stunning nationwide injunction that directly affects one-fourth of all abortions in the United States.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

All that was left was the sweetness of that feeling, and the injunction to tell them stories.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

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