adjournment
gb/əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/ us/əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
event
1
postponement of a formal meeting
a formal decision to stop a meeting or legal case and continue it later
Usage pattern:
adjournment of [a meeting/case/hearing/session]; adjournment until [time/date]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse adjournment with adjourn; adjournment is the noun, and adjourn is the verb.
Synonyms
postponement (more general; not limited to formal meetings or legal proceedings)
|
suspension (emphasizes stopping something temporarily)
|
recess (often refers to a temporary break in a court, legislature, or school)
Antonyms
continuation (the meeting or proceedings go on instead of stopping)
|
resumption (the proceedings start again after being stopped)
Collocations
request an adjournment
|seek an adjournment
|ask for an adjournment
|grant an adjournment
|refuse an adjournment
|adjournment of the hearing
|adjournment of the meeting
|adjournment until Monday
|short adjournment
|temporary adjournment
Themes
law
|meetings
|government
|business
Examples
- The judge granted an adjournment until the following week.
- The committee voted for adjournment after three hours of debate.
- Her lawyer requested an adjournment of the hearing to prepare more evidence.
Learner examples
- The court agreed to an adjournment until Friday.
- We asked for an adjournment of the meeting.
Noun
formal
C1
state
2
period after proceedings stop
the break in time after a formal meeting or court session has stopped
Usage pattern:
during [the adjournment]; after [an adjournment]
Common mistake:
For ordinary everyday breaks, break is usually more natural than adjournment.
Synonyms
break (more common and informal; used in everyday situations)
|
recess (common for courts, legislatures, and schools)
|
interval (more general; simply a period between two events)
Antonyms
session (the time when the meeting or court is actively sitting)
|
proceedings (the active conduct of formal business rather than the pause)
Collocations
during the adjournment
|after the adjournment
|before the adjournment
|a brief adjournment
|a long adjournment
|an hour-long adjournment
Themes
law
|meetings
|government
Examples
- The lawyers met privately during the adjournment.
- After a brief adjournment, the board returned to the main issue.
- Reporters waited outside the courtroom throughout the adjournment.
Learner examples
- They talked during the adjournment.
- The meeting continued after a short adjournment.
Grammar
Dictionary form
adjournment
IPA
GB/əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/
US/əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/
Syllables & stress
ad - journ - ment (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (journ)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: adjournment
- Plural: adjournment, adjournments
Expressions
motion for adjournment
1/mˈoʊʃən fɚ əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
proposal to stop proceedings
a formal request in a meeting to stop the meeting
Examples
- A council member made a motion for adjournment after the final vote.
- The motion for adjournment passed without opposition.
- Before anyone could raise a new issue, the chair recognized a motion for adjournment.
sine die adjournment
1/sˈaɪn dˈaɪ əd͡ʒˈɚnmənt/
fixed phrase
legal
final adjournment without set date
a formal ending of a session with no date fixed for meeting again
Examples
- The legislature reached sine die adjournment late on Friday night.
- After sine die adjournment, any unfinished bills had to be reintroduced in the next session.
- The court announced adjournment sine die after disposing of the final case.