recognizance
noun
re·cog·ni·zance
ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s 
-ˈkä-nə-
Examples of recognizance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite a bail request from prosecutors, the siblings were freed without bail for now, Lora on her own recognizance and her brother on supervised release.
—
Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
He was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025
The next day he was served with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge and released on an order of recognizance.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2025
The Assumption University students, who all face kidnapping and conspiracy charges, briefly stood in Worcester District Court and pleaded not guilty before being released on personal recognizance.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognizance
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.
Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
He was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025
The next day he was served with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge and released on an order of recognizance.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2025
The Assumption University students, who all face kidnapping and conspiracy charges, briefly stood in Worcester District Court and pleaded not guilty before being released on personal recognizance.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognizance
Cite this Entry
“Recognizance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognizance. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
recognizance
noun
re·cog·ni·zance
ri-ˈkäg-nə-zən(t)s
-ˈkän-ə-
: a recorded legal promise to do something (as to appear in court)
Legal Definition
recognizance
noun
re·cog·ni·zance
ri-ˈkäg-nə-zəns
1
: an obligation entered into on the record before a court or magistrate requiring the performance of an act (as the paying of a debt) usually under penalty of a money forfeiture
also
: the sum liable to forfeiture
2
: a simple personal obligation or undertaking (as to appear in court) entered into before a magistrate and having no money penalty attached
released on his own recognizance
Etymology
Anglo-French recognisance, reconisance, literally, recognition, from Old French reconoisance, from reconoistre to recognize, from Latin recognoscere
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share