: a mallet used (as by a presiding officer or auctioneer) for commanding attention or confirming an action (such as a vote or sale)
gaveled or gavelled; gaveling or gavelling
ˈga-v(ə-)liŋ 
: to bring or force by use of a gavel
gaveled the audience to silence
Examples of gavel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
More recently, Rauch stepped out of the recording booth, picked up a gavel, and settled into a starring role on NBC’s Night Court revival.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 22 May 2026
Lawmakers are meeting in committees during the interim committee hearing in Austin, conducting hearings and reviews of laws implemented last year and seeking information ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature, which gavels in January 2027.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gavel
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Noun
The gavels were sent to chapters of the then-recently founded American Legion chapters across the country.
—Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
More recently, Rauch stepped out of the recording booth, picked up a gavel, and settled into a starring role on NBC’s Night Court revival.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Verb
The making of the Congressional Record These days, the process of creating the Record begins in the Capitol, where every floor speech and action in each chamber is logged from gavel to gavel.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 22 May 2026
Lawmakers are meeting in committees during the interim committee hearing in Austin, conducting hearings and reviews of laws implemented last year and seeking information ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature, which gavels in January 2027.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gavel
Cite this Entry
“Gavel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gavel. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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