prosecution

American  

[pros-i-kyoo-shuhn] / ˌprɒs ɪˈkju ʃən /

noun

• prosecutions
  plural

1. Law.

   1. the institution and carrying on of legal proceedings against a person.

   2. the body of officials by whom such proceedings are instituted and carried on.

2. the following up of something undertaken or begun, usually to its completion.

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prosecution British  

/ ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of prosecuting or the state of being prosecuted

2. 1. the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a person

   2. the proceedings brought in the name of the Crown to put an accused on trial

3. the lawyers acting for the Crown to put the case against a person Compare defence

4. the following up or carrying on of something begun, esp with a view to its accomplishment or completion

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonprosecution
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prosecutions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prosecution

First recorded in 1555–65; from Late Latin prōsecūtiōn-, stem of prōsecūtiō “follow-up”; equivalent to prosecute + -ion

Explanation

You know the lawyers who try to make the jury believe the guy on trial for stealing the bananas actually stole the bananas? That team of lawyers is known as the prosecution. The entire process of trying to convict someone of a crime is known as the prosecution, and if convicted, you may face prosecution. Any words with the root prosecute are connected to trying to prove someone’s guilt. You might often hear about "the prosecution's case" — that's their evidence. Or you might hear about a "prosecution witness" — someone who is supposed to tell jury members something that will convince them of the defendant's guilt.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prosecution prosecutions

On the other side, the prosecution has appealed against Patterson's sentence, saying the non-parole period of 33 years imposed by the judge was "manifestly inadequate".

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

The judge erred in finding there was a substantial chance Patterson would be held in solitary confinement for years to come, and this "infected" his decision, the prosecution argued.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

After subpoenaing records on about 130 people, only one had been referred for prosecution, his staff had told him.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

After Friday’s plea, his legal team lodged formal arguments that the state proceedings can’t go forward because it would amount to an impermissible second prosecution for the same conduct.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Armstrong’s lawyers thus filed a motion asking the district court for discovery of the prosecutors’ files to support their claim of selective prosecution under the Fourteenth Amendment.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Without evidence of a coordinated effort or plot, it didn’t make sense to put resources into such prosecutions, a former DOJ official who oversaw election cases said.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

“It’s one thing if you’re going after Pablo Escobar,” said Steve Bunnell, a former DHS general counsel and senior intelligence adviser who handled voting fraud prosecutions during more than a decade at the Justice Department.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

"This is one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in United States history," Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a press conference in Washington.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Reports resulting in successful prosecutions would be rewarded with a share of any fines generated.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Since then, the number of bias-motivated prosecutions has steadily gone down.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• government
• prosecutor