: a mallet used (as by a presiding officer or auctioneer) for commanding attention or confirming an action (such as a vote or sale)
gaveled or gavelled; gaveling or gavelling
ˈga-v(ə-)liŋ 
: to bring or force by use of a gavel
gaveled the audience to silence
Examples of gavel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
His objection was not recognized, with Biden, then the vice president, interrupting Raskin by banging the gavel and saying the debate was out of order.
—Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Jan. 2025
J. David Goodman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
The report could be released as soon as the end of this week, after the House of Representatives casts its final votes of the current Congress and gavels out for the holidays, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024
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Noun
My pet peeve is judges who bang their gavel each time that rule on something.
—Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
His objection was not recognized, with Biden, then the vice president, interrupting Raskin by banging the gavel and saying the debate was out of order.
—Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
In a vote of the Republican caucus, a majority backed Mr. Cook, the hard-right candidate who had challenged Mr. Phelan for the House gavel last year.
—J. David Goodman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
The report could be released as soon as the end of this week, after the House of Representatives casts its final votes of the current Congress and gavels out for the holidays, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gavel
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Cite this Entry
“Gavel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gavel. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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