litigate

American  

[lit-i-geyt] / ˈlɪt ɪˌgeɪt /

verb (used with object)

litigated, litigating

1. to make the subject of a lawsuit; contest at law.

2. Archaic. to dispute (a point, assertion, etc.).

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verb (used without object)

litigated, litigating

1. to carry on a lawsuit.

litigate British  

/ ˈlɪtɪˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. to bring or contest (a claim, action, etc) in a lawsuit

2. (intr) to engage in legal proceedings

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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

While that is true of cases litigated under the Combating Redlining Initiative, the defendants in those cases uniformly settled, reflecting the strength of the government’s claims.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, they are complex to litigate since a conspiracy must be proven among the defendants in addition to any wrongdoing.

From Los Angeles Times

Monitoring, litigating, and tax administration are king-size aggravations that nobody talks about because at the plan-sponsor level it’s called job security.

From The Wall Street Journal

City officials have asked for a preliminary injunction, which would allow the display to remain up while the case is being litigated.

From Salon

They are known to freely litigate any challenge to their sovereignty over most non pari-mutuel gambling in the state.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• prosecute