restraining order

noun

1

: a preliminary legal order sometimes issued to keep a situation unchanged pending decision upon an application for an injunction

2

: a legal order issued against an individual to restrict or prohibit access or proximity to another specified individual

Examples of restraining order in a Sentence

The judge issued a restraining order.

Recent Examples on the Web

Harvard has fought back in the courts, winning a temporary restraining order on May 23 that will allow international enrollments to continue as the case makes its way through the courts. —Davis Winkie, USA Today, 27 May 2025

Garber said a hearing to determine whether the temporary restraining order should be extended is scheduled for Thursday. —Joe Hernandez, NPR, 25 May 2025

He was arrested in West Haven hours later and charged with murder, home invasion, risk of injury to a minor, violation of a restraining order and violation of a protective order. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2025

In 2017, another ex-girlfriend, model Karrueche Tran, was granted a five-year restraining order against him. —Patrick Smith, NBC news, 21 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for restraining order

• boarder
• border
• corder
• warder
• camcorder
• disorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Legal Definition

restraining order

see order sense 3b