petition
Americannoun
-
petitions
plural
-
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
-
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
-
something that is sought by request or entreaty.
to receive one's full petition.
-
Law. an application for a court order or for some judicial action.
verb (used with object)
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petitions,
present (3rd person singular)
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petitioned,
past participle, past
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petitioning
present participle
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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
-
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
-
(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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counterpetitionnoun
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petitionernoun
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petitionistnoun
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prepetitionnoun
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re-petitionverb (used with object)
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petitionableadjective
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petitionaryadjective
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unpetitionedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
petitionsimple
-
petitionssimple
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have petitionedperfect
-
has petitionedperfect
-
am petitioningprogressive
-
are petitioningprogressive
-
is petitioningprogressive
-
have been petitioningperfect progressive
-
has been petitioningperfect progressive
Past
-
petitionedsimple
-
had petitionedperfect
-
was petitioningprogressive
-
were petitioningprogressive
-
had been petitioningperfect progressive
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.
See Examples For:
When Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon broached the idea of joining the club, a member organized a petition to keep him out, one member said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Citizens can petition leaders to avoid or drop contracts, a tactic that has been working across the country.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
In a statement to the BBC, May's office said that "she has an obligation to sponsor petitions brought forward by citizens, regardless of whether she personally agrees with what the petition is asking for".
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
The Miami-Dade court case database confirms that Hilton’s mother Teresita Lavandeira filed a petition for temporary custody over three minor children on Aug. 7.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Oh, whenever it happened the people would get up a petition and complain, but it never did much good because the soldiers were gone and the beef was eaten.
From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The House of Commons allows for Canadians to submit petitions, and there are dozens open at any given time, many receiving just a few hundred signatures.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
She said 700,000 Albertans—out of about five million—have signed petitions either for leaving or staying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Stern: I find it striking that these petitions are often really short and straightforward and anyone can read and understand them.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
They were also more likely to sign petitions, join demonstrations, and support climate policies.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
In Minneapolis there had been only silence and the inevitable clumsy petitions of potato-fingered men looking for someone, anyone, to share the agony of their days.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
The three-judge panel sharply questioned the Justice Department’s legal claims, saying little had changed since the government last petitioned the court to have the agreement dissolved in 2020 — a request that was rejected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Without telling me, my brother petitioned for sole guardianship of our mother.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
A representative for Isaacman late last month petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to allow four 1970s-built jets to join aircraft flying over the National Mall for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Rights groups petitioned the high court, saying the facility was being developed secretly and without consultation, but Kenya's government ignored a court order to pause work on the site.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Although I had regularly petitioned for a brand-name vacuum cleaner, I'd never said anything about wanting a guitar.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
“What, was Leo not available?” she asked, as if petitioning the gods.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
Last month, California Coastkeeper Alliance and other nonprofit groups tried to expand the clean water protections statewide by petitioning six other regional water boards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Cherneff: Almost immediately after emancipation in Maryland, there were reports of parents petitioning for the freedom of their children.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Thanks in part to The Flight's music, the game is so cinematic that fans have been petitioning for voice actor Patrick Gibson to play Bond in the forthcoming, Denis Villeneuve-directed film.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Pedrito and Jaimito have come and gone a dozen times, petitioning here, visiting a friend with pull there.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
