restraining order

noun

1

: a preliminary legal order sometimes issued to keep a situation unchanged pending decision upon an application for an injunction

2

: a legal order issued against an individual to restrict or prohibit access or proximity to another specified individual

Examples of restraining order in a Sentence

The judge issued a restraining order.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some lawmakers have filed restraining orders against people who’ve threatened them, and others say activists and political opponents have approached them at their homes. —Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026

That restraining order was later stayed by the Supreme Court. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026

The woman had an active domestic violence restraining order against Garcia at the time of the deadly shooting. —Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026

Committee Chair Nick Schultz then proceeded to highlight myriad other problems with the bill and pointed to bills enhancing enforcement of restraining orders and increasing penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders as better ideas than Gonzalez’s bill. —Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for restraining order

• boarder
• border
• corder
• warder
• camcorder
• disorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Legal Definition

restraining order

see also:

order sense 3b