as in bail
law
a legal promise made by someone before a court of law that must be kept to avoid being punished
After his arraignment, the suspect was released on his own recognizance.
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Recent Examples of recognizance
She was released early Tuesday morning on a personal recognizance bond.
—
Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
He was released from jail on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond and is scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon for a disposition hearing, court records show.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Court records show Retton was released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $1,500.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
According to Superior Court of California, Yolo County court records reviewed by PEOPLE, Ajay Dev, 58, who had 76 convictions, was released on Friday, May 23, on his own recognizance (OR).
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognizance
Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
He was released from jail on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond and is scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon for a disposition hearing, court records show.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Court records show Retton was released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $1,500.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
According to Superior Court of California, Yolo County court records reviewed by PEOPLE, Ajay Dev, 58, who had 76 convictions, was released on Friday, May 23, on his own recognizance (OR).
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognizance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recognizance
bail
Noun
-
Twelve-plus hours passed before Ding was released, the lawsuit alleges, and only after paying almost $2,000 in bail and being forced to write an apology letter to the man who allegedly attacked him — San Diego police Officer Jonathan Ferraro.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
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Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and is being held in the U.S. without bail.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recognizance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recognizance. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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