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Synonyms

lawsuit

American  
[law-soot] / ˈlɔˌsut /

noun

  1. a case in a court of law involving a claim, complaint, etc., by one party against another; suit at law.

lawsuit British  
/ -ˌsjuːt, ˈlɔːˌsuːt /

noun

  1. a proceeding in a court of law brought by one party against another, esp a civil action

"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

Etymology

Origin of lawsuit

First recorded in 1615–25; law 1 + suit

Compare meaning

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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.

He also poked at Jones, a star of the paranoid, far-right fringe, for losing a massive defamation lawsuit filed by the parents of children killed in a 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

The indictments — along with a civil lawsuit and grand jury testimony referenced in motions to dismiss the charges — portray Brooks and Smyles as the main drivers of the fights.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

In other AI news, Elon Musk amended his OpenAI lawsuit to ask that any damages he might win be awarded to the company’s charitable arm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

That five-year lawsuit finally came to an end in January, when a judge ruled that Westcott owed Perry $1.8 million in lost rental income.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

It is not known whether Leah ever saw any of Chauncey Burr’s money; but the lawsuit paid off in publicity.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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.