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.

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lawsuit British  

/ -ˌsjuːt, ˈlɔːˌsuːt /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of lawsuit

First recorded in 1615–25; law ¹ + suit

Compare meaning

How does lawsuit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• litigation vs. lawsuit

Example Sentences

Several lawsuits are in process to challenge the legality of altering the landmark’s name.

From Salon

There is currently a lawsuit in progress, but the money is still missing.

From MarketWatch

Typically, that meant lifting early injunctions that federal district judges had issued to keep the policies on hold while the lawsuits played out.

From The Wall Street Journal

Around the world, the plinks and pops of pickleball have spawned outrage, provoking protests and even lawsuits.

From Barron's

These incidents have led to a series of wrongful death lawsuits.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accusation
• action
• argument
• bill
• case
• claim
• dispute
• impeachment
• indictment
• litigation
• prosecution
• suit
• trial