gag order
noun
: a judicial ruling barring public disclosure or discussion (as by the press) of information related to a case
broadly
: a similar nonjudicial prohibition against the release of confidential information or against public discussion of a sensitive matter
Examples of gag order in a Sentence
The judge has issued a gag order.
Recent Examples on the Web
The effort was revealed when the Biden administration moved to end gag orders that had been placed on the communications companies, allowing for the alert of the news outlets.
—
Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
The opener would also tell the scam victim that there was a gag order issued by the court that prevented the elderly victim from telling anyone about their relative’s arrest.
—Steve Weisman, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The lurid case has riveted the public, but police have not released a potential motive, and a sweeping gag order has kept the parties from speaking publicly or revealing further details.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The victims were also persuaded to provide bail money to people who came to their home impersonating bail bondsmen and were often led to believe a gag order was in place, preventing them from telling anyone about the situation.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gag order
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.
Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
The opener would also tell the scam victim that there was a gag order issued by the court that prevented the elderly victim from telling anyone about their relative’s arrest.
—Steve Weisman, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The lurid case has riveted the public, but police have not released a potential motive, and a sweeping gag order has kept the parties from speaking publicly or revealing further details.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The victims were also persuaded to provide bail money to people who came to their home impersonating bail bondsmen and were often led to believe a gag order was in place, preventing them from telling anyone about the situation.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gag order
Articles Related to gag order
The Words of the Week - Mar. 29
Dictionary lookups from the law, politics, and Easter
The Words of the Week - Oct. 20
Dictionary lookups from the House of Representatives, federal court, and the New York Times word games section
The Words of the Week - Apr. 7
Dictionary lookups from religion, publishing, and politics
Cite this Entry
“Gag order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gag%20order. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share