garnishment

noun

gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt 

1

: ornament, garnish

2

: a legal summons or warning concerning the attachment of property to satisfy a debt

3

: a stoppage of a specified sum from wages to satisfy a creditor or a legal obligation (such as child support)

Synonyms of garnishment

• ornament
• ornamentation
• decoration
• garnish

Examples of garnishment in a Sentence

a high-end caterer whose dishes feature an array of over-the-top garnishments

Recent Examples on the Web

This legal protection generally halts levies, wage garnishments and other creditor enforcement efforts while the process unfolds. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026

After writs of garnishment against SeaWorld were ordered the next year, SeaWorld paid in October 2025. —Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

The unfortunate — though perhaps unsurprising — reality is that missing a student loan payment does carry consequences, ranging from late fees and credit damage to collections calls and even wage garnishment. —Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 2 Mar. 2026

Federal student loan borrowers who were bracing for wage garnishment got a major change of plans last month. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) garnish entry 1 + -ment; (senses 2 & 3) borrowed from Anglo-French garnissement "warning, notification, notification concerning the attachment of property to satisfy a debt," from garniss-, stem of garnir "to give notice, warn, give legal summons" + -ment -ment — more at garnish entry 1

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

garnishment

noun

gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt 

: a remedial device used by a creditor to have property of the debtor or money owed to the debtor that is in the possession of a third party attached to pay the debt to the creditor

specifically : attachment of the debtor's wages to satisfy a judgment compare wage assignment at assignment