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

In addition, involuntary wage garnishments and increasing interest rates were suspended. —Tevon Blair, Essence, 9 Jan. 2026

Wage garnishments were initially paused in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. —Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026

How does the wage garnishment process work? —Tiffani Jackson, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026

When a garnishment order is issued, your employer receives a formal notice explaining how much to withhold and where the money should go. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 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