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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.

The first minister also said the SNP would begin civil action against Murrell, which could be used in the event that the party does not recoup its funds through the criminal court.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

When you have removed your aunt’s attorney through court proceedings, you can pursue a civil action.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

The bill also allows a borrower to bring a civil action against a mortgage servicer for violations of the law.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 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

I explained that what the State had done to him was illegal and that we could pursue a civil action against them, but he had no interest in that.

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