subpoena
noun
the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence, as records or documents, before a court or other deliberative body.
subpoenas
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pluralof subpoena.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof subpoena (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
subpoenanounthe usual writ for the summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence, as records or documents, before a court or other deliberative body.
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.
Hospitals and patients have successfully challenged a number of the subpoenas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The subpoenas ordered them to produce documents related to the network’s coverage of Newsom, the phone call with Trump and the governor’s response strategy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
"By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas," Robert Garcia, who sits on the committee, said in a statement after Black failed to appear.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
But the most revealing part of the BBC’s filing isn’t the subpoenas themselves — it’s the account of what happened when the network tried to serve them.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
Though the subpoenas had finally stopped coming, Deborah didn’t believe the lawsuit was truly over.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
