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

• adornment
• beautifier
• caparison
• decoration
• doodad
• embellisher
• embellishment
• frill
• garnish
• garniture
• ornament
• ornamentation
• setoff
• trim

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

The Department of Education will begin collecting federal student loans in default on May 5, having issued a warning that borrowers could be referred to debt collectors, face a garnishment of wages or deal with other mandates to pay back the funds. —Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2025

This garnishment could apply to millions who have fallen behind and failed to make arrangements. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025

Notices about wage garnishment are also expected to go out later this summer. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025

The Administration has clearly stated that failure to make payments on student loan balances could lead to the garnishment of wages, social security, or tax refunds. —Solcyré Burga, Time, 22 Apr. 2025

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