litigate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make the subject of a lawsuit; contest at law.
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Archaic. to dispute (a point, assertion, etc.).
verb (used without object)
verb
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to bring or contest (a claim, action, etc) in a lawsuit
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(intr) to engage in legal proceedings
Usage
What does litigate mean? To litigate is to engage in a legal proceeding, such as a lawsuit. It can mean to bring a lawsuit or to contest one. The word especially refers to what lawyers do in such a proceeding. In fact, another name for a lawyer is litigator, especially a lawyer who specializes in civil cases. The related word litigant refers to a person engaged in a lawsuit. The process of engaging in a legal proceeding is called litigation. To be in litigation typically means to be engaged in a civil legal proceeding (as opposed to a criminal one, in which one is said to be on trial). Litigate can also be used in a somewhat figurative or general way meaning to intensely dispute or argue something, as if one were a lawyer in a courtroom setting, as in It’s just a minor issue—we don’t have to litigate it over and over again. Example: They want to avoid having to litigate, so they’re going to try to get you to settle out of court.
Other Word Forms
- litigative adjective
- litigator noun
- relitigate verb (used with object)
- unlitigated adjective
- unlitigating adjective
Etymology
Origin of litigate
First recorded in 1605–15, litigate is from the Latin word lītigātus (past participle of lītigāre to go to law). See litigant, -ate 1
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.
When the fracas became public, Gabbard decided to litigate it on X and go personal on the whistleblower, inadvertently telegraphing her weak position.
From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026
“We must be fully prepared to litigate these issues before filing a charge in state court.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
But purchasers of goods, if they are not importers themselves, could have to litigate further to get their money back, Townsend told AFP.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
“She would litigate those moments until they felt true to her, and then they were so transcendent when she did them,” Foley says.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026
Joshua Carter and Robert Caston were the first two cases we decided to litigate.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
