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civil action

American

[siv-uhl ak-shuhn] / ˈsɪv əl ˈæk ʃən /

noun

Law.

a noncriminal lawsuit regarding an alleged violation of someone’s rights.

When he started his own business and solicited his former employer’s clients, the employer filed a civil action against him.
Some states require litigants in civil actions to go through alternative dispute resolution first.

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:

civil action

“The government suggests it is permitted to use a civil action as a ‘fishing expedition,’ ” she wrote.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

Individuals caught accessing as well as facilitating such material can face criminal prosecution, fines and civil action from rights holders.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

Under the bill, a union representative alleging a violation can bring a civil action to “obtain damages.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

Kuhn said that under the state’s Unfair Competition Law, the county counsel’s office does not need a formal vote of the Board of Supervisors to proceed with a civil action.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2025

Law enforcement officers generally have no personal resources to pay damages to victims of misconduct, so the city, county, or agency that employs them is typically the target of any civil action that seeks compensation.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023