enjoin

verb

en·​join in-ˈjȯin How to pronounce enjoin (audio)
en-
enjoined; enjoining; enjoins

transitive verb

1
: to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition
enjoined us to be careful
2
a
: forbid, prohibit
was enjoined by conscience from telling a lie
b
: to prohibit by a judicial order : put an injunction on
a book had been enjoined prior to publicationDavid Margolick

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What do enjoin and junta have in common?

Enjoin has the Latin verb jungere, meaning "to join," at its root, but the kind of joining expressed by enjoin is quite particular: it is about linking someone to an action or activity by either requiring or prohibiting it. When it's the former at hand—that is, when enjoin is used to mean "to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition"—the preposition to is typically employed, as in "they enjoined us to secrecy." When prohibition is involved, from is common, as in "signs enjoin attendees from photographing the event." In legal contexts, enjoining involves prohibition by judicial order, through means of an injunction, as in "the judge enjoined them from selling the contract."

Choose the Right Synonym for enjoin

command, order, bid, enjoin, direct, instruct, charge mean to issue orders.

command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality.

command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about

bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

Examples of enjoin in a Sentence

He was enjoined by his conscience from telling a lie. The judge enjoined them from selling the property.
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.
The actor Riley Keough, Lisa Marie's daughter, responded by filing a countersuit, seeking to enjoin the auction alleging fraud and claiming that Naussany Investments was nonexistent and had no rights to the property. Claire Pedersen, ABC News, 31 Oct. 2024 The suit asks that TikTok be permanently enjoined from violating consumer protection laws, and ordered to pay restitution to users, along with civil penalties. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2024 Net result: the editorial board gave the courts a roadmap to more easily enjoin UCC foreclosure sales, assuming the mezzanine borrowers and their counsel know about that roadmap and persuade the courts to apply it. Joshua Stein, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024 Alleging that Snapchat willfully overlooks harms to kids while advertising its platform as safe, the State of New Mexico claims that Snapchat owner Snap has violated the state's Unfair Practices Act and must be enjoined as a public nuisance. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enjoin 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enjoindre, from Latin injungere, from in- + jungere to join — more at yoke

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of enjoin was in the 13th century

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Dictionary Entries Near enjoin

Cite this Entry

“Enjoin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enjoin. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

enjoin

verb
en·​join in-ˈjȯin How to pronounce enjoin (audio)
1
: to direct or demand (an action) by authoritative order (as from a court of law)
2

Legal Definition

enjoin

transitive verb
en·​join in-ˈjȯin How to pronounce enjoin (audio)
: to prohibit by judicial order : issue an injunction against
a three-judge district court had enjoined the plansW. J. Brennan, Jr.
enjoinable adjective
Etymology

Anglo-French enjoindre to impose, constrain, from Old French, from Latin injungere to attach, impose, from in- on + jungere to join

More from Merriam-Webster on enjoin

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