lawsuit
Americannoun
-
lawsuits
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lawsuit
Compare meaning
How does lawsuit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A lawsuit is the result of a disagreement that ends up in court. A long-running feud between neighbors about a flock of chickens and a barking dog might eventually end up as a lawsuit. If someone files a lawsuit against you, you become a defendant, while they are the plaintiff. Lawsuits are always part of civil law, rather than criminal cases, involving something some kind of financial or personal loss. When you're embroiled in a lawsuit, you'll probably need to hire a lawyer. This legal term dates from the 17th century.
Vocabulary lists containing lawsuit
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.
See Examples For:
He died about 19 hours after checking into the facility, the lawsuit says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
That report made allegations about Wondermind's finances and issues with its management, according to the lawsuit.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Expect more litigation, possibly even a lawsuit to force Larry Ellison to dig into his Oracle wealth to fund completion of the deal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"Gomez purported to sign a contract obligating her to perform and then ignored it," the lawsuit claims.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The final lawsuit against the deportation could take as long as a year.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
The city is still facing lawsuits stemming from the 2020 protests over the police killing of George Floyd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
That potentially gives companies more freedom but also less cover, which could increase the risk of lawsuits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
California accused Paramount of "blackmail" on Tuesday over a reported threat to pull the company out of the state because of lawsuits aimed at stopping its mega-merger with Warner Bros.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
But controversy and lawsuits have followed those efforts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Then she heard the voices coming from inside: They were saying something about lawsuits, something about corporations, something about a proposition....
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
