bench warrant

noun

: a warrant issued by a presiding judge or by a court against a person guilty of contempt or indicted for a crime

Examples of bench warrant 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.
He was assigned an attorney at a bench warrant hearing, and a plea of not guilty was entered. — Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026 McKenzie was a fugitive for nearly two years on an outstanding felony bench warrant, the sheriff's office alleged. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026 The driver, identified as a 45-year-old La Cañada man, had a misdemeanor bench warrant, police said. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 6 May 2026 The New York Post reported that a bench warrant was later issued after Best failed to appear for a subsequent hearing. — Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bench warrant

Word History

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bench warrant was in 1680

Rhymes for bench warrant

See All Rhymes for bench warrant

Browse Nearby Words

benchwarmer
bench warrant
benchwork
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Cite this Entry

“Bench warrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bench%20warrant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Legal Definition

bench warrant

see also:
warrant
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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