: a mallet used (as by a presiding officer or auctioneer) for commanding attention or confirming an action (such as a vote or sale)
gaveled or gavelled; gaveling or gavelling
ˈga-v(ə-)liŋ 
: to bring or force by use of a gavel
gaveled the audience to silence
Examples of gavel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Usually he'd be expected to hand that gavel over to the leader of the country taking over the rotating chairmanship of the G20, but President Trump was not in attendance.
—NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gavel
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Noun
Not for who held the gavel, but for who broke faith with the public.
—Wanda James, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
Because of retirements and bids for higher office, there will be new legislators in several key positions in the Iowa House and Senate when lawmakers gavel in for the start of the legislative session.
—Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Usually he'd be expected to hand that gavel over to the leader of the country taking over the rotating chairmanship of the G20, but President Trump was not in attendance.
—NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gavel
Cite this Entry
“Gavel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gavel. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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