adjourn
Americanverb (used with object)
-
adjourns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
adjourned,
past participle, past
-
adjourning
present participle
-
to suspend the meeting of (a club, legislature, committee, etc.) to a future time, another place, or indefinitely.
At this point in the trial, the judge adjourned the court session so the defense could access and review the test results.
-
to defer or postpone to a later time.
Too many board members would have been absent, so the chair adjourned the meeting to next Monday.
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to defer or postpone (a matter) to a future meeting of the same body, or to a future time, specified or not specified.
We will adjourn discussion of point 5.2 to our April meeting.
verb (used without object)
-
adjourns,
present (3rd person singular)
-
adjourned,
past participle, past
-
adjourning
present participle
-
to postpone, suspend, or transfer proceedings.
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to go to another place.
After dinner the ladies adjourned to the parlor.
verb
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(intr) (of a court, etc) to close at the end of a session
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to postpone or be postponed, esp temporarily or to another place
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(tr) to put off (a problem, discussion, etc) for later consideration; defer
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informal (intr)
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to move elsewhere
let's adjourn to the kitchen
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to stop work
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
adjournsimple
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adjournssimple
-
have adjournedperfect
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has adjournedperfect
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am adjourningprogressive
-
are adjourningprogressive
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is adjourningprogressive
-
have been adjourningperfect progressive
-
has been adjourningperfect progressive
Past
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adjournedsimple
-
had adjournedperfect
-
was adjourningprogressive
-
were adjourningprogressive
-
had been adjourningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of adjourn
1300–50; Middle English ajo ( u ) rnen < Middle French ajo ( u ) rner, equivalent to a- ad- + jorn- < Latin diurnus daily; see journal, journey
Explanation
To adjourn is to close a session of something, like at court. People also adjourn when they go to bed. When something is adjourned, it's over. This word comes up most often in court. Lawyers and citizens don't have the power to adjourn — to call a recess in the proceedings. Only a judge can adjourn the court. This can also be used in any situation where someone is withdrawing from somewhere, or retiring for awhile. "I must adjourn!" is a fancy way of saying "I'm out of here! I need to get some sleep. See you tomorrow."
Vocabulary lists containing adjourn
The Constitution of the United States
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Both houses will adjourn for summer recess, the House on July 24 and the Senate on Aug. 10.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Before we adjourn, a final question: What will next year’s healthcare roundtable focus on?
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2025
They all agreed that they would get rid of this hot potato, adjourn quickly and go home for the holidays.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2024
Senior Coroner Nigel Parsley told the short hearing he would adjourn the inquests until 15 April, 2024.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2024
I resolved that if he acted in that finger-wagging fashion with me I would have to inform him that I found such behavior unacceptable, and I would then stand up and adjourn the meeting.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
According to the Associated Press, the deal outlines a plan for the Senate to vote to confirm 13 more district court judges before the upper chamber adjourns in December.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
Laws passed in a special session and signed by the governor typically take affect 90 days after the session adjourns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2024
Further votes affirming L.G.B.T.Q. clergy and churchgoers are expected before the meeting adjourns on Friday.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2024
State Sen. Anna Caballero, the bill’s author, promised to hold a hearing on the issue once the Legislature adjourns.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 31, 2023
As Coin adjourns the meeting, Haymitch asks her if he can speak to me privately.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Judge Tony Baumgartner adjourned the case for a three-week trial starting on 22 November 2027.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
The court adjourned until August 27 to check whether the tests "correspond to Diego Armando Maradona or someone else," presiding judge Alberto Gaig said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
With prosecuting counsel set to reply to the submissions, the judge adjourned the case to 1 September.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The members adjourned without a vote to continue negotiations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
The court was then adjourned until the following day, when I would have a chance to address the court in what is known as the plea in mitigation before the magistrate gave his sentence.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
With parliament adjourning for the holidays on Tuesday, Trudeau will not be facing the threat of another confidence motion until at least late January.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2024
"By adjourning the sentencing until after that election... the Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings," reads the Aug. 14 letter.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2024
District Judge Tim Pattinson ordered a pre-sentence report before adjourning the hearing for sentencing on 30 September.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2024
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff on Wednesday denied defense motions to dismiss the charges against the officers before adjourning for the week.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 8, 2023
Then he banged his gavel heavily upon the rostrum, adjourning conclave and sealing their fate.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
