remand

1 of 2

verb

re·​mand ri-ˈmand How to pronounce remand (audio)
remanded; remanding; remands
Synonyms of remand

transitive verb

: to order back: such as
a
: to send back (a case) to another court or agency for further action
b
: to return to custody pending trial or for further detention

remand

2 of 2

noun

plural remands
law
: the act of remanding something or someone or the state of being remanded : an order to return or send back someone or something
a
: the return of a case to another court or agency for further action
… an opinion … necessitating a remand to the lower courts to apply the justices' guidance.—Harry Litman
b
: the return of a person to custody pending trial or for further detention
On one side of the prison there was a block of prisoners on remand; on the other side were the convicts …—Jim Lewis and Tom Vanderbilt

Did you know?

Remand means "order back" or "send back". After losing a case in a lower court, lawyers will frequently appeal it to a higher court. If the higher court looks at the case and sees that the lower court made certain kinds of errors, it will simply remand it, while telling the lower court how it fell short the first time: by not instructing the jury thoroughly, for example, or by not taking into account a recent related court decision.

Examples of remand in a Sentence

Verb The judge remanded the case for further consideration.
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.
Verb
Last month, Rodriguez-Singh was found incompetent to stand trial on a capital murder charge in the death of her son, and she will be remanded to a state mental health facility until her competency can be restored. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026 He's been remanded to appear at Norwich Crown Court on June 8. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Noun
On remand the following year, the Siting Council held two non-binding straw votes: the first signaling its intention to reject the project and the second to approve it before the final vote was cast in October to reject UI’s application. —John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 6 May 2026 Court and jail records show Stevens was also being held on a remand arrest in connection with a 2022 felony case of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. —Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for remand

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English remaunden, from Anglo-French remander, from Late Latin remandare to send back word, from Latin re- + mandare to order — more at mandate

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of remand was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing remand

Rhymes for remand

See All Rhymes for remand

Browse Nearby Words

remancipate
remand
remand center
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Remand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remand. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

remand

1 of 2 verb
re·​mand
ri-ˈmand
1
: to send back a case to another court for further action
2
: to return to custody to be held longer or to await trial

remand

2 of 2 noun
: the act of remanding : the state of being remanded
sent back on remand

Legal Definition

remand

1 of 2 verb
re·​mand ri-ˈmand How to pronounce remand (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to return (a case or matter) from one court to another especially lower court or from a court to an administrative agency
the judgment of the trial court is reversed and the cause remanded to the superior court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion—McCarton v. Estate of Watson, 693 P.2d 192 (1984)
compare affirm
2
: to send (an accused) back into custody by court order (as pending trial) : turn (a prisoner) over for continued detention

intransitive verb

: to return a case to a lower court or other tribunal
the court remanded for resentencing—K. A. Cohen

remand

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of remanding or state of being remanded
2
: an order remanding a case or person
Etymology

Verb

Anglo-French remander, from Middle French, to order back, from Late Latin remandare to send back word, from Latin re- back + mandare to order

More from Merriam-Webster on remand

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for remand

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