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Synonyms

sue

1 American  
[soo] / su /

verb (used with object)

sued, suing

  1. to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.

    to sue someone for damages.

  2. to woo or court.

  3. Obsolete. to make petition or appeal to.

verb (used without object)

sued, suing

  1. to institute legal proceedings, or bring suit.

    She threatened to sue.

  2. to make petition or appeal.

    to sue for peace.
    Synonyms:
    pray, plead, petition, beg

  3. to court a woman.

verb phrase

  1. sue out to make application for or apply for and obtain (a writ or the like) from a court of law.

Sue 2 American  
[soo, sy] / su, sü /

noun

  1. Eugène Marie Joseph Sue, 1804–57, French novelist.

  2. a female given name, form of Susan, Susanna, Susannah.

sue 1 British  
/ suː, sjuː /

verb

  1. to institute legal proceedings (against)

  2. to make suppliant requests of (someone for something)

  3. archaic to pay court (to)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Sue 2 British  
/ sy /

noun

  1. Eugène (øʒɛn). original name Marie-Joseph Sue. 1804–57, French novelist, whose works, notably Les mystères de Paris (1842–43) and Le juif errant (1844–45), were among the first to reflect the impact of the industrial revolution on France

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • suer noun
  • unsued adjective

Etymology

Origin of sue

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English suen, siwen, from Old French sivre, from unattested Vulgar Latin sequere “to follow,” for Latin sequī

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.

The laws were put on hold when a group of plaintiffs -- including medical professionals and non-profits -- sued.

From Barron's

Tobias said he was unaware of any precedent for a president suing a sitting Fed chair over management and doubted such a case would survive serious judicial scrutiny.

From Barron's

The studio said their insurance would cover everything so I decided not to sue.

From BBC

Mr Reavey is suing both parties, but a postponement of the case has overshadowed the anniversary of the shootings this weekend.

From BBC

We all laughed ourselves silly as the Coyote sued the Acme Corporation over its defective merchandise.

From Los Angeles Times

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.