: 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
The Editors, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025
House Republicans' mainstream wing is warning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) not to repeat his predecessor's mistake of giving away the store to his right-wing detractors to retain his gavel, Axios has learned.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025
Julia Mueller, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
On Tuesday, Republican Rep. David Valadao’s victory in the 22nd District moved Republicans within two wins of retaining the House gavel as counting continued in a sliver of races across the country.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
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Noun
Mike Johnson keeps the speaker’s gavel after Donald Trump persuades holdouts to switch their vote.
—The Editors, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025
House Republicans' mainstream wing is warning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) not to repeat his predecessor's mistake of giving away the store to his right-wing detractors to retain his gavel, Axios has learned.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
Phelan survived a bruising primary challenge in 2024 from a candidate backed by Paxton and other top Republicans, but dropped his bid to hold on to the Speaker’s gavel last month amid the simmering tensions.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
On Tuesday, Republican Rep. David Valadao’s victory in the 22nd District moved Republicans within two wins of retaining the House gavel as counting continued in a sliver of races across the country.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Gavel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gavel. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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