petition
Americannoun
-
a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit.
a petition for clemency; a petition for the repeal of an unfair law.
- Synonyms:
- suit
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a request made for something desired, especially a respectful or humble request, as to a superior or to one of those in authority; a supplication or prayer.
a petition for aid; a petition to God for courage and strength.
- Synonyms:
- appeal, solicitation, entreaty
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something that is sought by request or entreaty.
to receive one's full petition.
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Law. an application for a court order or for some judicial action.
verb (used with object)
-
to beg for or request (something).
-
to address a formal petition to (a sovereign, a legislative body, etc.).
He received everything for which he had petitioned the king.
-
to ask by petition for (something).
noun
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a written document signed by a large number of people demanding some form of action from a government or other authority
-
any formal request to a higher authority or deity; entreaty
-
law a formal application in writing made to a court asking for some specific judicial action
a petition for divorce
-
the action of petitioning
verb
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(tr) to address or present a petition to (a person in authority, government, etc)
to petition Parliament
-
to seek by petition
to petition for a change in the law
Synonym Usage
See appeal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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petitionableadjective
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prepetitionnoun
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counterpetitionnoun
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re-petitionverb (used with object)
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petitionistnoun
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unpetitionedadjective
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petitionernoun
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petitionaryadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has petitionedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have petitionedperfect
-
is petitioningprogressive 3rd person singular
-
have been petitioningperfect progressive
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am petitioningprogressive 1st person singular
-
are petitioningprogressive
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petitioningparticiple
-
has been petitioningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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petitionssingular 3rd person
Past
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had petitionedperfect
-
was petitioningprogressive singular
-
were petitioningprogressive plural
-
had been petitioningperfect progressive
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petitionedparticiple
-
petitionedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of petition
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English peticioun, from Middle French peticion, from Latin petītiōn-, stem of petītiō “an attack, request,” from petīt(us) “assaulted, sought” (past participle of petere “to assault, head for, seek”) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If you're angry about the new rule that you have to wear bright pink shoes to work every day, why not write up a petition, get all your co-workers to sign it, and submit it to your boss? Petition comes from the Anglo-Norman word peticiun, meaning "demand, request," and when you petition someone, you ask them to consider your request. If you write up a statement against the town's approval of a new carnival district and collect signatures from 100 neighbors to turn in to the city government, that's a petition. If you pray to the carnival gods to rain down ruin on the carnival, that's also a petition — and no signatures needed.
Vocabulary lists containing petition
The Bill of Rights
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Election Lingo
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Heather Madrid, 40, a community organizer who led an unsuccessful petition to pause data-center development, said the camp “is going to be just dropped in the middle of a neighborhood.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The LA Local could not independently verify those claims beyond confirming the petition had been filed with the city.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Her petition has gained more than 40,000 signatures and she is planning on taking it to parliament later this year.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
"Many candidates who had demonstrated strong mathematical ability throughout their studies found themselves unable to complete substantial sections of the paper within the allotted time", says the petition.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
I always imagined the king laid the rug in his audience hall so that anyone who came to petition him would step on the greatest treasure in the kingdom.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
