sue
verb (used with object)
to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.
had sued
-
past perfectof sue.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
And on Friday, Goktas said she had sued three Yeni lawmakers for slander and vowed to pursue "media outlets that spread these allegations".
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
In the middle of a landmark trial, Meta Platforms abruptly announced an $18 billion settlement agreement with a coalition of states that had sued it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
The group had sued ANL over allegations of unlawful information-gathering, which the publisher had strenuously denied.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The National Trust for Historic Preservation had sued, arguing that the president has no authority to erect new buildings on government property.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The fact that no one had sued over the growth or ownership of the HeLa cell line, he said, illustrated that patients didn’t mind when doctors took their cells and turned them into commercial products.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
