subpoena
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
subpoenasimple
-
subpoenassimple
-
have subpoenaedperfect
-
has subpoenaedperfect
-
am subpoenaingprogressive
-
are subpoenaingprogressive
-
is subpoenaingprogressive
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have been subpoenaingperfect progressive
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has been subpoenaingperfect progressive
Past
-
subpoenaedsimple
-
had subpoenaedperfect
-
was subpoenaingprogressive
-
were subpoenaingprogressive
-
had been subpoenaingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of subpoena
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin sub poenā “under penalty” (the first words of the writ)
Explanation
A subpoena is a document that requires its recipient to appear in court as a witness. If you receive a subpoena, it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong; it just means you may have information that's needed by the court. Subpoena can also be a verb: You can subpoena someone by giving them a subpoena. If you receive a subpoena but fail to carry out its instructions, you're in big trouble. This fact is suggested by the Latin roots of this word: the prefix sub- means "under" and poena means "penalty." One nice thing about a subpoena is that it's not a summons; if you get one of those, it means you're being sued.
Vocabulary lists containing subpoena
Latin Root "sub" Words
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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Just Mercy
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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:
“Any subpoena issued by the Department of Justice is done so in full compliance with federal law and internal Department policy,” a Justice Department spokesperson said Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The investigator hopped on stage and served Altman a subpoena, naming him as a potential witness in the continuing criminal case against Kirchner for blocking OpenAI’s entrance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
She scheduled a July 8 date to hear additional evidence before she decides on whether to grant a preliminary injunction, blocking the subpoena through the end of the litigation.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
The subpoena requests documents and sworn testimony covering pharmacy contracts, reimbursement rates, “differential treatment of own versus independent stores,” and the company’s expansion plans, according to a press release.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Specifically, he wanted to subpoena Reggie’s phone records.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
By July 10, FBI agents had served subpoenas to Barnes and his colleagues, Eric Lipton and Eric Schmitt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
A Times spokesman said it was pleased that the Justice Department agreed to withdraw the subpoenas, “but they should never have been issued in the first place.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The Times said federal prosecutors agreed at a court hearing in New York before District Judge Arun Subramanian to "unilaterally withdraw the subpoenas at this time."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The subpoenas were issued after a Times report that the Qatari-gifted Air Force One lacked certain security countermeasures, including anti-missile defenses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
He sued ten defendants in all, and several of the Hopkins employees involved had never heard of Cofield or Henrietta Lacks before their subpoenas arrived.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
The Washington Post reported last month that one of its journalists was subpoenaed related to “sensitive reporting about a national security matter.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
State officials in California are already investigating the deal with Golden State Wind; the California Energy Commission has subpoenaed details about the payout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Recently, the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution subpoenaed the city as part of a criminal investigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The justice department told the House Oversight Committee that Bondi will not appear at the 14 April deposition as she was "subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General," a committee spokesperson confirmed to the BBC.
From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026
When he finished, he announced that the trial would be postponed until Wednesday morning because the prosecution and the defense wanted to interview surprise witnesses the prosecution had just subpoenaed.
From "Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe
The Justice Department had just elevated the matter by subpoenaing Trump for the records, and Trump wanted her advice.
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2024
Mr. Chidi, in an interview, said he was concerned about prosecutors making “a habit” of subpoenaing reporters.
From New York Times ● Aug. 1, 2023
“Recent events, however, have cast a chilling shadow over their pursuits. Law-enforcement agencies have resorted to clandestine tactics, subpoenaing emails and phone records in an effort to unmask confidential sources.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2023
The rest of the material the panel obtained—often by subpoenaing agencies and individuals—was expected to enter the National Archives.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2023
The German had swung around toward the men behind him, as though he were subpoenaing them as witnesses.
From Captain Macklin by Davis, Richard Harding
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
