What does enjoin mean?
Enjoin is a formal verb meaning to instruct, urge, or command someone to do something with authority. It carries two principal senses: prescribing that an action be carried out, as when a leader enjoins followers to observe certain duties, and — particularly in law — restraining someone from acting, usually by court order. A judge might, for instance, enjoin a company from proceeding with a merger until regulators have completed their review. The word belongs chiefly to legal registers, official pronouncements, and literary prose, and it sounds out of place in casual conversation, where plainer verbs such as 'order' or 'tell' would serve better. Its two directions of meaning — compelling and forbidding — are distinguished by construction: one enjoins a person *to* do something, but enjoins them *from* doing it. Derived forms include 'injunction', the noun most familiar from courtroom reporting. For readers of judicial news or historical documents, recognising enjoin is essential, since its formal tone can mask a meaning that is simply 'commanded' or 'banned'.
To instruct, urge, or command someone authoritatively to do something; to impose (a duty or course of action) on a person.
"The will enjoined the trustees to distribute the funds annually."
Often used with 'on' or 'upon' to indicate who bears the obligation.
(Law) To prohibit or restrain someone from performing an action, typically by issuing an injunction.
"The court enjoined the city from demolishing the historic building."
Commonly used in the passive: 'was enjoined from...'.
Despite looking like 'enjoy', enjoin rarely brings joy — it's what judges and courts do when they want you to stop.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enjoin
Enjoin comes from Old French 'enjoindre', from Latin 'injungere', formed from 'in-' (upon) plus 'iungere' (to join), literally 'to join upon'. It entered English in the late Middle Ages with the sense of imposing an obligation or command on someone. It shares this Latin root with words such as 'join', 'junction', and 'conjugal'.
Related word forms
How enjoin is actually used
Formal and largely confined to legal writing, official directives, and elevated prose. In everyday speech, simpler verbs like 'order' or 'tell' are preferred. The sense of prohibition ('enjoin from') is especially common in American legal contexts.
Easily confused with enjoin
'Adjoin' means to be next to or touching something, while 'enjoin' means to order or forbid an action.
'Enjoy' means to take pleasure in something, whereas 'enjoin' is a formal verb meaning to command or prohibit.