Meaning & use
gagging order
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Meanings
nouncountableBritishlegal
A court order that forbids people from publishing or discussing information about a case or subject.
Grammar: Countable: a gagging order, two gagging orders.
Patterns
- a gagging order on something
- a gagging order against someone
The judge issued a gagging order to protect the identity of the child.
A gagging order prevents reporters from naming the witness.
The company obtained a gagging order against its former employee.
nouncountablefigurative
Any rule or instruction that stops people from speaking openly about a matter.
Grammar: Used figuratively, often in news and politics: a gagging order on staff.
Patterns
- a gagging order on someone
Staff say the manager imposed a gagging order after the incident.
The new rules amount to a gagging order on charity workers.
Critics called the policy a gagging order on scientists.
Word forms
| plural | gagging orders |
|---|
Common combinations
- issue a gagging order
- The court issued a gagging order on Monday.
- lift a gagging order
- The judge lifted the gagging order after the trial.
- breach a gagging order
- The newspaper was accused of breaching a gagging order.
- impose a gagging order
- The council imposed a gagging order on its staff.
- a temporary gagging order
- A temporary gagging order covers the case.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gag order
- Gag order is the American form, with the same meaning.
- injunction
- An injunction is a broader legal term for an order to do or stop doing something, not only about speech.
- reporting restriction
- A reporting restriction is the formal British legal term, and sounds more neutral than gagging order.
- muzzle
- Muzzle is figurative and suggests silencing someone forcefully, not a formal legal order.
Word family
Commonly confused: gagging order or gag reflex?
gagging order vs gag reflex
The gag reflex is a bodily reaction in the throat, and has nothing to do with legal orders.
Practice
The newspaper could not name the witness because the judge had issued a ___.
Choose one answer.
A gagging order forbids publication of information. A search warrant allows police to search, so it does not stop reporting.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gagging order”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.