moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əm 
ˌmär-
plural moratoriums or moratoria
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə
ˌmär-
1
a
: a legally authorized period of delay in the performance of a legal obligation or the payment of a debt
b
: a waiting period set by an authority
2
: a suspension of activity
Examples of moratorium in a Sentence
In 2000, Illinois declared a moratorium on executions after 13 death-row inmates were exonerated.
—
Evan Thomas et al., Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2007
But one country's moratorium is another country's protectionism, and the U.S. is suspicious of Europe's actions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 13 Sept. 1999
The striped bass are recovering strongly after a moratorium on catching them.
—John P. Wiley, Jr., Smithsonian, November 1993
Her office was crammed with ungraded school papers, some of them dating back five years. She was far behind in her work—so far behind that she had declared a moratorium on school work until she could catch up on her grading.
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens of Titan, 1959
The treaty calls for a nuclear testing moratorium.
the director of the blood bank called for a moratorium in donations until the surplus could be used up
Evan Thomas et al., Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2007
But one country's moratorium is another country's protectionism, and the U.S. is suspicious of Europe's actions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 13 Sept. 1999
The striped bass are recovering strongly after a moratorium on catching them.
—John P. Wiley, Jr., Smithsonian, November 1993
Her office was crammed with ungraded school papers, some of them dating back five years. She was far behind in her work—so far behind that she had declared a moratorium on school work until she could catch up on her grading.
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens of Titan, 1959
The treaty calls for a nuclear testing moratorium.
the director of the blood bank called for a moratorium in donations until the surplus could be used up
Recent Examples on the Web
Over 20 years later, the county is seeing the need for a moratorium to allow time to enact regulations on industrial growth.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Jan. 2026
The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
—Doug Feinberg, Twin Cities, 13 Jan. 2026
The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night's deadline.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Jan. 2026
The international company Covia wants to develop a 380-acre pit about four miles away from its existing 1,400-acre operation outside of Roff, despite a state moratorium on new mining operations above south-central Oklahoma’s Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer.
—Kayla Branch, The Frontier, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moratorium
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Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Jan. 2026
The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.
—Doug Feinberg, Twin Cities, 13 Jan. 2026
The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night's deadline.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Jan. 2026
The international company Covia wants to develop a 380-acre pit about four miles away from its existing 1,400-acre operation outside of Roff, despite a state moratorium on new mining operations above south-central Oklahoma’s Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer.
—Kayla Branch, The Frontier, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moratorium
Cite this Entry
“Moratorium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moratorium. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm
ˌmär-,
-ˈtȯr-
plural moratoriums or moratoria
-ē-ə
1
: a legally approved period of delay in the payment of a debt or the performance of a duty
2
: ban entry 2 sense 2, suspension
a moratorium on atomic testing
Legal Definition
moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əm
plural moratoriums; plural moratoria
1
a
: an authorized period of delay in the performance of an obligation (as the paying of a debt)
b
: a waiting period set by an authority
2
: a suspension of activity
Etymology
New Latin, from Late Latin, neuter of moratorius dilatory, from morari to delay, from mora delay
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