garnishment

noun

gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt How to pronounce garnishment (audio)
1
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)

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Additionally, their wages would’ve been be subject to garnishment, meaning the government would take money — up to 15% of disposable income — out of their paychecks to repay the defaulted loans. Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 23 May 2025 Beyond possibly leading to wage garnishment, defaulting on a student loan hurts in other ways. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 21 May 2025 Meanwhile, borrowers who are behind on their monthly student loan payments but have not yet defaulted may still have time to avoid Treasury Offset and wage garnishment. Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 With the resumption in student loan collections—which will include wage garnishments—borrowers in default may be facing even greater economic difficulties in the near future. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for garnishment

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of garnishment was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Garnishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/garnishment. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Legal Definition

garnishment

noun
gar·​nish·​ment ˈgär-nish-mənt How to pronounce garnishment (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on garnishment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!