prosecutor
Americannoun
-
prosecutors
plural
-
Law.
-
a person, as a complainant or chief witness, instigating prosecution in a criminal proceeding.
-
a person who prosecutes.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosecutor
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin prōsecūtor “pursuer”; see prosecute, -tor
Compare meaning
How does prosecutor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
On a TV crime drama or in real life courts, the prosecutor is the person who brings criminal charges against a suspect. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for a state or government organization and is responsible for starting legal proceedings and then proving in court that the suspect committed the crime he’s accused of. The opposite of a prosecutor is a defense attorney. So on that TV crime drama, the prosecutor is the one trying to put the bad guy in jail, and the defense attorney is the one trying to prove that the guy really isn’t a bad guy.
Vocabulary lists containing prosecutor
Monster
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
When You Reach Me
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ghost Boys
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
County prosecutor John McKinney based on early returns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
A prosecutor obtains it by presenting to a federal magistrate judge a probable-cause affidavit signed by an investigator.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
In 2024, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, asked judges for an arrest warrant for Myanmar's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing over alleged crimes against humanity.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
A former federal prosecutor, Faruqui said the Justice Department typically uses complaints only in exigent circumstances, such as when someone is arrested off the street or poses a flight risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
The prosecutor moves close, face-to-face with Officer Moore.
From "Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Court records show that this agreement was reached after repeated pressure from Jimenez’s attorneys to force prosecutors to produce records and a judge’s decision to side with the defense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
Hasen said he expects Essayli and other federal prosecutors will continue prosecuting the cases they have already brought against alleged illegal voters, but it’s unclear if they will continue pursuing new cases.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
In practice, many demonstrators have been arrested more than once, with 1,200 charges authorised by prosecutors to date.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been barred from driving for six months after a hit-and-run crash into a parked car, prosecutors said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
More than anything else, it was the lack of concern and responsiveness by police, prosecutors, and victims' services providers that devastated Mozelle and Onzelle.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
