remand

1 of 2

verb

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

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
… there was a rejection of the count that Microsoft attempted to monopolize the browser field, a remand to district court of the issue of whether Microsoft illegally "tied" its browser to Windows …—Steven Levy
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
Both men were arrested at their homes on Thursday and appeared later in the day at Westminster Magistrates Court, where they were remanded to appear in Crown Court on October 16, Britain’s National Crime Agency said. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 19 Sep. 2025 Smirnova appeared in court, where she was remanded into custody without bail. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Those charges, and the evidence against Robinson, were strong enough for a judge to sign off on Utah Attorney General Brian Davis' request be held without bail pending formal charges in the case, according to a remand order signed by Magistrate Judge Shawn R. Howell and obtained by PEOPLE. —Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025 Police first arrested him in 2020 and, having served time in between on remand, he was released on parole last month, which is where this story gets even more interesting. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 July 2025 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 23 Sep. 2025.

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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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