moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əm 
ˌmär-
plural moratoriums or moratoria
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə
ˌmär-
1
a
: a legally authorized period of delay in the performance of a legal obligation or the payment of a debt
b
: a waiting period set by an authority
2
: a suspension of activity
Examples of moratorium in a Sentence
In 2000, Illinois declared a moratorium on executions after 13 death-row inmates were exonerated.
—
Evan Thomas et al., Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2007
But one country's moratorium is another country's protectionism, and the U.S. is suspicious of Europe's actions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 13 Sept. 1999
The striped bass are recovering strongly after a moratorium on catching them.
—John P. Wiley, Jr., Smithsonian, November 1993
Her office was crammed with ungraded school papers, some of them dating back five years. She was far behind in her work—so far behind that she had declared a moratorium on school work until she could catch up on her grading.
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens of Titan, 1959
The treaty calls for a nuclear testing moratorium.
the director of the blood bank called for a moratorium in donations until the surplus could be used up
Evan Thomas et al., Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2007
But one country's moratorium is another country's protectionism, and the U.S. is suspicious of Europe's actions.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 13 Sept. 1999
The striped bass are recovering strongly after a moratorium on catching them.
—John P. Wiley, Jr., Smithsonian, November 1993
Her office was crammed with ungraded school papers, some of them dating back five years. She was far behind in her work—so far behind that she had declared a moratorium on school work until she could catch up on her grading.
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens of Titan, 1959
The treaty calls for a nuclear testing moratorium.
the director of the blood bank called for a moratorium in donations until the surplus could be used up
Recent Examples on the Web
The moratorium provision was ultimately stripped from the bill before final passage.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
With a 90-day extension on the two nations’ tariff truce, originally poised to end in early September, the current 10 percent moratorium rate in China isn’t a long-term bet.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Sep. 2025
The bill was pitched as a post-disaster relief measure, preventing counties hit by hurricanes from enacting moratoriums, raising impact fees or altering land-use rules during recovery.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
This bill comes on the heels of a moratorium on authorizing new NCB charter schools in California, enacted in 2020, that expires next year.
—Kerry McDonald, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moratorium
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Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
With a 90-day extension on the two nations’ tariff truce, originally poised to end in early September, the current 10 percent moratorium rate in China isn’t a long-term bet.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Sep. 2025
The bill was pitched as a post-disaster relief measure, preventing counties hit by hurricanes from enacting moratoriums, raising impact fees or altering land-use rules during recovery.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
This bill comes on the heels of a moratorium on authorizing new NCB charter schools in California, enacted in 2020, that expires next year.
—Kerry McDonald, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moratorium
Cite this Entry
“Moratorium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moratorium. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əm
ˌmär-,
-ˈtȯr-
plural moratoriums or moratoria
-ē-ə
1
: a legally approved period of delay in the payment of a debt or the performance of a duty
2
: ban entry 2 sense 2, suspension
a moratorium on atomic testing
Legal Definition
moratorium
noun
mor·a·to·ri·um
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əm
plural moratoriums; plural moratoria
1
a
: an authorized period of delay in the performance of an obligation (as the paying of a debt)
b
: a waiting period set by an authority
2
: a suspension of activity
Etymology
New Latin, from Late Latin, neuter of moratorius dilatory, from morari to delay, from mora delay
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