class action

American  

noun

1. a legal proceeding in which persons representing interests common to a large group participate as representatives of the group or class.

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class action British  

noun

1. law a legal action undertaken by one or more people representing the interests of a large group of people with the same grievance

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Other Word Forms

• class-action
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of class action

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

class action

The San Bruno-based company owned by Google agreed to a $7.5-million settlement in a class action lawsuit that alleged the company violated California’s automatic renewal law when renewing YouTube TV subscriptions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

A reopened 2015 class action adds uncertainty but exposure is largely contained by insurance, Wallington says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Bayer in February unveiled a $7.25 billion class action settlement to resolve blood cancer claims.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

A class action lawsuit which could entitle millions in the UK to a share of a £3bn claim against Apple is set to proceed to trial.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

Instead, at the end of 2002, Household settled a class action suit out of court and agreed to pay a $484 million fine distributed to twelve states.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis