executive order

noun

: regulation sense 2b

Examples of executive order in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a historic executive order designating English as the United States' official language, a White House official confirmed to ABC News on Friday. —Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2025

The filing is the latest salvo in a federal lawsuit by transgender troops who are fighting President Donald Trump’s executive orders seeking to block the troops from service. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025

Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, from filing lawsuits to challenge President Trump's executive orders. —Zachery Eanes, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025

Trump’s schedule for Friday does not currently include any time for signing executive orders. —Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for executive order

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

Legal Definition

executive order

noun

: an order issued by a government's executive on the basis of authority specifically granted to the executive branch (as by the U.S. Constitution or a congressional act)

the National Security Agency was created by an executive order

compare proclamation, statute

Note: An executive order from the president does not have the force of law until it is printed in the Federal Register.