1
: a brief written summary of a document : abstract
2
a(1)
: a formal abridged record of the proceedings in a legal action
(2)
: a register of such records
b(1)
: a list of legal causes to be tried
also
: the caseload of a court or judge
(2)
: a calendar of business matters to be acted on : agenda
3
: an identifying statement about a document placed on its outer surface or cover
docketed; docketing; dockets
1
: to place on the docket for legal action
2
: to make a brief abstract of (something, such as a legal matter) and inscribe it in a list
3
: to inscribe (something, such as a document) with an identifying statement
Examples of docket in a Sentence
Noun
The judge had to postpone some of the cases on the docket.
on the Broadway docket for the early part of this season
Recent Examples on the Web
Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Information about lawyers for Fairley and Earnest were not available on the public docket for the criminal cases.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025
The petitions have not yet been docketed, but The Hill reviewed copies provided by the Justice Department.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for docket
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.
Noun
Both counts were dismissed with costs in 2025, according to the docket.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Information about lawyers for Fairley and Earnest were not available on the public docket for the criminal cases.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
According to Billboard, Smith’s attorney Patrick Butler denied that the artist battered Gables in the counterclaim docketed on Monday (Oct. 13) in federal court.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025
The petitions have not yet been docketed, but The Hill reviewed copies provided by the Justice Department.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for docket
Cite this Entry
“Docket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/docket. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
docket
1 of 2 noun
dock·et
ˈdä-kət 
1
a
: a formal abridged record of the proceedings (as motions, orders, and judgments) in a legal action
the clerk shall keep a docket in each case—U.S. Code
U.S. Code
b
: a register of such records
2
a
: a list of legal actions to be heard by a court
the nearly 500 such cases on court dockets—Rorie Sherman
compare calendar
Rorie Sherman
b
: the caseload of a court
a great part of our docket consisted of regulatory agency cases—R. H. Bork
R. H. Borkdocket
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to enter in a docket (as of a case or a court)
closure motions must be docketed sufficiently in advance—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel
compare calendar
W. R. LaFave and J. H. IsraelEtymology
Noun
earlier doggette, docquet summary, abstract, of unknown origin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share