injunction

injunction — noun

1. a legal decision issued by a judge that orders a person, company, or organisatio

1.nounB2
Definition

a legal decision issued by a judge that orders a person, company, or organisation to either stop doing something harmful or to take a particular required action.

Example

The court granted a temporary injunction to stop the factory dumping waste into the river.

collocation: grant a temporary injunction

Tariro's lawyer filed for an injunction to prevent the demolition of the family home.

structure: file for an injunction + to + verb

Common collocations
  • grant an injunction
  • issue an injunction
  • seek an injunction
  • file for an injunction
  • obtain an injunction
  • violate an injunction
  • breach an injunction
  • temporary injunction
  • interim injunction
  • permanent injunction
  • court injunction
  • injunction against
  • injunction to prevent
Synonyms
  • restraining order

    specifically a type of injunction that prevents contact, usually in domestic cases; narrower scope

  • court order

    a broader term covering any instruction from a judge, not limited to stopping an action

  • cease-and-desist order

    an administrative or court demand to stop illegal activity; often a first step before a full injunction

Antonyms
  • permission

    an allowance to do something, the opposite of a prohibition

Grammar Patterns

injunction + against + [someone/something]

injunction + to + [base verb]

grant/issue + an injunction

seek/file for + an injunction

violate/breach + an injunction

Usage Note

Commonly paired with specific legal verbs: 'grant', 'issue', 'seek', 'file for', 'obtain', and 'violate'. In news reports, 'temporary', 'interim', and 'permanent' frequently modify this sense. British spelling uses 'injunction', same as American; the verb form is 'enjoin'.

Common Mistakes

The police gave an injunction to the protesters.
The judge granted an injunction against the protesters.
Injunctions are issued by courts, not by police officers.
He received an injunction letter from his boss.
He received an injunction from the court.
Injunctions in this sense are legal orders, not letters from a manager.

2. a strong, formal instruction given by someone in a position of power or authorit

2.nounC1
Definition

a strong, formal instruction given by someone in a position of power or authority, telling people what they must or must not do in a particular situation.

Example

The head teacher's injunction that phones stay in lockers during class was made very clear.

pattern: [possessive] + injunction + that-clause

Élise followed her grandmother's injunction to always read the fine print before signing a contract.

pattern: [possessive] + injunction + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • strict injunction
  • clear injunction
  • solemn injunction
  • injunction that
  • injunction to
  • follow an injunction
  • ignore an injunction
  • issue an injunction
Synonyms
  • directive

    slightly less formal; common in workplace and government contexts

  • mandate

    implies a command backed by official authority or voter support

  • edict

    suggests a command from a ruler or powerful person; more literary

Antonyms
  • suggestion

    a gentle recommendation rather than a binding command

Grammar Patterns

[possessive] + injunction + that + [clause]

[possessive] + injunction + to + [base verb]

Usage Note

This sense is distinctly non-legal. It describes a forceful directive from any authority figure — a parent, teacher, manager, or leader. It is more formal than 'instruction' or 'ruling' and carries a tone of seriousness. The 'that'-clause pattern is more common in writing; the to-infinitive pattern appears in both speech and writing.

Common Mistakes

My mum gave me an injunction to clean my room.
My mum gave me a strong instruction to clean my room.
'Injunction' sounds overly formal for everyday parental requests; it suits serious or official contexts better.

Word family

  • enjoin
    verbC1
  • injunctive
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe legally binding instructions, but they differ in scope and context. A 'court order' is the broadest category — any ruling a judge makes, from payment deadlines to custody arrangements. An 'injunction' is a specific type of court order that typically either prohibits an action (prohibitory injunction) or requires one (mandatory injunction). A 'restraining order' is a narrow subtype of injunction used primarily in domestic or harassment cases to keep one person away from another. A 'cease-and-desist order' can come from a court or an administrative agency; it demands that an illegal activity stop immediately and is often the first step before a full injunction hearing. In practice: a neighbour who builds a fence on your land — you would seek an 'injunction'. A victim of repeated threats — you would seek a 'restraining order'. A company using your trademark — the lawyer would send a 'cease-and-desist letter' first.

injunction ↗restraining ordercease-and-desist ordercourt order

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • injunction to prevent
  • injunction requiring
  • application for an injunction

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'injunctio', meaning 'a joining to' or 'an imposing', formed from the verb 'injungere' ('in-' meaning 'upon' + 'jungere' meaning 'to join'). Late Latin used 'injunctio' in the legal sense of 'an order imposed by authority'. The word entered English through Anglo-French 'enjoignerie' in the 1500s and was firmly established in English common law by the 1600s as a court-issued prohibition. The non-legal sense of a general authoritative command developed alongside the legal sense.