injunction

noun

in·​junc·​tion in-ˈjəŋ(k)-shən How to pronounce injunction (audio)
1
: a writ granted by a court of equity whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act
2
: the act or an instance of enjoining : order, admonition
injunctive adjective

Did you know?

Injunction, injunction, what’s your function? When it first joined the English language in the 1400s, injunction referred to an authoritative command, and in the following century it developed a legal second sense applying specifically to a court order. Both of these meanings are still in use. Injunction ultimately comes from the Latin verb injungere (“to enjoin,” i.e., to issue an authoritative command or order), which in turn is based on jungere, meaning “to join”: it is joined as a jungere descendant by several words including junction, conjunction, enjoin, and join.

Examples of injunction in a Sentence

The group has obtained an injunction to prevent the demolition of the building. in the cult there were injunctions for and against everything, as nothing was a matter of personal choice
Recent Examples on the Web In making his ruling to impose the injunction Judge Griesa admitted the injunction had problems and could be overturned on appeal, but to him, the bigger problem was the Republic’s behavior. Gregory Makoff, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 Federal judges in Ohio, Arkansas and California have all issued injunctions against those states’ laws. Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 The judge scheduled a hearing for March 25 to give the attorney general a chance to argue against the injunction. Colbi Edmonds, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 In granting a preliminary injunction on Thursday, Ezra, who was appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, said the federal government was likely to eventually win the case on the merits. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2024 However, the bar to receive a temporary injunction is very high: the party who requests one must show a likelihood of irreparable harm if the injunction is not granted, and that the filing party will be likely to succeed at the merits stage of the case. Jill Goldenziel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Clifton Corker issued a preliminary injunction that allows third parties (i.e., NIL collectives funded by boosters) to offer financial inducements to recruits in exchange for them attending a particular school. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Another federal court injunction, from December, barred the NCAA from enforcing policies related to two-time transfers having to sit out one season, creating de facto free agency by opening the transfer portal to everybody. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 But construction hasn't stopped and the injunction was never enforced by authorities. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'injunction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English injunccion, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French enjunxion, from Late Latin injunction-, injunctio, from Latin injungere to enjoin — more at enjoin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of injunction was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near injunction

Cite this Entry

“Injunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injunction. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

injunction

noun
in·​junc·​tion in-ˈjəŋ(k)-shən How to pronounce injunction (audio)
: a court order commanding or forbidding the doing of some act
an injunction against the strike

Legal Definition

injunction

noun
in·​junc·​tion in-ˈjəŋk-shən How to pronounce injunction (audio)
: an equitable remedy in the form of a court order compelling a party to do or refrain from doing a specified act compare cease-and-desist order at order sense 3b, damage, declaratory judgment at judgment sense 1a, mandamus, specific performance at performance, stay

Note: An injunction is available as a remedy for harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law. Thus it is used to prevent a future harmful action rather than to compensate for an injury that has already occurred, or to provide relief from harm for which an award of money damages is not a satisfactory solution or for which a monetary value is impossible to calculate. A defendant who violates an injunction is subject to penalty for contempt.

affirmative injunction
: an injunction requiring a positive act on the part of the defendant : mandatory injunction in this entry
final injunction
: permanent injunction in this entry
interlocutory injunction
: an injunction that orders the maintenance of the status quo between the parties prior to a final determination of the matter
specifically : preliminary injunction in this entry
mandatory injunction
: an injunction that compels the defendant to do some positive act rather than simply to maintain the situation as it was when the action was brought compare prohibitory injunction in this entry
permanent injunction
: an injunction imposed after a hearing and remaining in force at least until the defendant has complied with its provisions

called also final injunction, perpetual injunction

preliminary injunction
: an interlocutory injunction issued before a trial for purposes of preventing the defendant from acting in a way that will irreparably harm the plaintiff's ability to enforce his or her rights at the trial

called also temporary injunction

compare temporary restraining order at order

Note: Before a preliminary injunction can be issued, there must be a hearing with prior notice to the defendant. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65, the hearing and the trial may be consolidated.

prohibitory injunction
: an injunction that prohibits the defendant from taking a particular action and maintains the positions of the parties until there is a hearing to determine the matter in dispute
temporary injunction
: preliminary injunction in this entry
Etymology

Middle French injonction, from Late Latin injunction-, injunctio, from Latin injungere to enjoin, from in- in + jungere to join

More from Merriam-Webster on injunction

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