executive order

noun

: regulation sense 2b

Examples of executive order in a Sentence

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 White House said that free vaccines provided through the Vaccines for Children program would also not be affected by the new executive order because, by law, that program relies on guidance from the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 There are very clear and strict laws that prevent the military being used around polling places, but Lepper and his colleagues have been tracking various executive orders from the president that could challenge such laws. — Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order on Tuesday creating stricter data center regulations and a dedicated Data Center Task Force. — Mikayla Price, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Separately, an executive order has directed the US military to deploy a nuclear reactor at a domestic Army base within the next two years. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for executive order

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of executive order was in 1862

Rhymes for executive order

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Browse Nearby Words

executive officer
executive order
executive privilege
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Cite this Entry

“Executive order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executive%20order. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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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.

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