# continuance

/kənˈtɪnjuəns/ (US) · /kəntˈɪnjuːəns/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/continuance
Updated: 2026-05-30

## Definition

the act of continuing something or the state of staying in existence. In a legal context, it often refers to a court order that delays a trial or keeps a case active.

For teachers: the act of continuing or the state of remaining in existence. In legal terminology, it specifically denotes a court order that postpones a trial or maintains the status of a case.

## Examples

- The judge granted a continuance to allow more evidence to be collected.
- The defense attorney requested a continuance because the key witness was unable to travel to the court on the scheduled date.
- The continuance of the proceedings was granted on the grounds that the prosecution had not yet completed its forensic analysis of the recovered documents.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.