Moratorium Meaning
/ˌmɒ.ɹəˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əm/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn authorization to a debtor, permitting temporary suspension of payments.
nounA suspension of an ongoing activity.
Sentence Examples
Kazakhstan declared a moratorium on capital punishment.
Scientists and environmentalists are urging an international moratorium on deep-sea mining.
A moratorium was placed on atmospheric nuclear testing.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The government declared a ____ on new oil drilling to protect the environment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The government has announced a temporary ____ on all new offshore oil drilling until a full safety review can be successfully completed.
Word Origin & History
New Latin from Late Latin morātōrium, noun use of the neuter of morātōrius (“moratory, delaying”), from Latin moror (“to delay”), from mora (“delay”), from Proto-Indo-European *mere (“to delay, hinder”). See also moratory.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It so happened that at that time the moratorium on the death penalty caused by the Supreme Court decision in the Furman case was still in effect."
— 1990, Gerhard Falk, Murder, an Analysis of its Forms, Conditions, and Causes, McFarland:
"If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium."
— 2023 March 22, “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter”, in Future of Life Institute:
"Proponents of an AI moratorium had argued that a patchwork of state and local AI laws is hindering progress in the AI industry and the ability of U.S. firms to compete with China."
— 2025 July 1, Matt Brown and Matt O'Brien, “Senate strikes AI regulatory ban from GOP bill after uproar from the states”, in AP News:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The government declared a ____ on new oil drilling to protect the environment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The government has announced a temporary ____ on all new offshore oil drilling until a full safety review can be successfully completed.