restraining order

American

noun

Law.

a judicial order to forbid a particular act until a decision is reached on an application for an injunction.

restraining order British

noun

law an order issued by a civil court to a potential abuser to keep away from those named in the order

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

restraining orders

plural

Etymology

Origin of restraining order

First recorded in 1875–80

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.

See Examples For:

restraining order

After the restraining order, several of Berry’s loved ones voiced their support for the actor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

The D.C. restraining order could be decided in the next few days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

Cienfuegos said the restraining order has since been largely lifted and a “no contact order” remains, which “prevents Kruger and I from coming closer than 10 feet while campaigning.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

US District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the administration from creating or airing such ads for 14 days.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Then a county judge issued a five-day restraining order forbidding the governor from certifying the result.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023