bill of attainder

noun phrase

: a legislative act that imposes punishment without a trial

Examples of bill of attainder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It's decided who the defendant is — TikTok — and it's essentially adjudicated their guilt — guilt in a civil sense, not in a criminal sense — which is the mark of a bill of attainder. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024 In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder, or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. — Haleluya Hadero The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bill of attainder was in 1787

Rhymes for bill of attainder

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Browse Nearby Words

billman
bill of attainder
bill of divorce
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Cite this Entry

“Bill of attainder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bill%20of%20attainder. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Legal Definition

bill of attainder

see bill sense 1

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