petition
Americannoun
-
a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit.
a petition for clemency; a petition for the repeal of an unfair law.
- Synonyms:
- suit
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a request made for something desired, especially a respectful or humble request, as to a superior or to one of those in authority; a supplication or prayer.
a petition for aid; a petition to God for courage and strength.
- Synonyms:
- appeal, solicitation, entreaty
-
something that is sought by request or entreaty.
to receive one's full petition.
-
Law. an application for a court order or for some judicial action.
verb (used with object)
-
to beg for or request (something).
-
to address a formal petition to (a sovereign, a legislative body, etc.).
He received everything for which he had petitioned the king.
-
to ask by petition for (something).
noun
-
a written document signed by a large number of people demanding some form of action from a government or other authority
-
any formal request to a higher authority or deity; entreaty
-
law a formal application in writing made to a court asking for some specific judicial action
a petition for divorce
-
the action of petitioning
verb
-
(tr) to address or present a petition to (a person in authority, government, etc)
to petition Parliament
-
to seek by petition
to petition for a change in the law
Synonym Usage
See appeal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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counterpetitionnoun
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petitionernoun
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petitionistnoun
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prepetitionnoun
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re-petitionverb (used with object)
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petitionableadjective
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petitionaryadjective
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unpetitionedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
petitionsimple
-
petitionssimple
-
have petitionedperfect
-
has petitionedperfect
-
am petitioningprogressive
-
are petitioningprogressive
-
is petitioningprogressive
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have been petitioningperfect progressive
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has been petitioningperfect progressive
Past
-
petitionedsimple
-
had petitionedperfect
-
was petitioningprogressive
-
were petitioningprogressive
-
had been petitioningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of petition
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English peticioun, from Middle French peticion, from Latin petītiōn-, stem of petītiō “an attack, request,” from petīt(us) “assaulted, sought” (past participle of petere “to assault, head for, seek”) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If you're angry about the new rule that you have to wear bright pink shoes to work every day, why not write up a petition, get all your co-workers to sign it, and submit it to your boss? Petition comes from the Anglo-Norman word peticiun, meaning "demand, request," and when you petition someone, you ask them to consider your request. If you write up a statement against the town's approval of a new carnival district and collect signatures from 100 neighbors to turn in to the city government, that's a petition. If you pray to the carnival gods to rain down ruin on the carnival, that's also a petition — and no signatures needed.
Vocabulary lists containing petition
The Bill of Rights
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Election Lingo
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Instead of "Said": Words for Asking and Offering
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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.
See Examples For:
The Chief Justice of India called for an independent investigation after a petition was filed in the Supreme Court alleging police brutality.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Lawyers from the bureau filed a habeas corpus petition on young Turner’s behalf.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The same year, Amy filed a petition for a compulsory accounting of her father’s estate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The petition, submitted to The Hague-based court last week, argues the violence could amount to crimes against humanity and accuses the South African government of failing to prevent and punish those responsible.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Indeed I will, sir; I have my petition all ready.”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
One Maryland judge, Hugh Lennox Bond, became famous for granting these petitions.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
They were also more likely to sign petitions, join demonstrations, and support climate policies.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
"Together, we will march peacefully to the parliament and put forward our petitions at the altar of democracy," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
In response, gamers came together and launched a series of petitions called Stop Killing Games.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Given the sharp sectional divisions in the debate, the vote to refer the petitions to a committee was surprisingly one-sided, 43 to 11; seven of the negative votes came from South Carolina and Georgia.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Two of its citizens have also petitioned the International Criminal Court to investigate "repeated xenophobic attacks", a move Pretoria has dismissed as "opportunistic".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The three-judge panel sharply questioned the Justice Department’s legal claims, saying little had changed since the government last petitioned the court to have the agreement dissolved in 2020 — a request that was rejected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Without telling me, my brother petitioned for sole guardianship of our mother.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
In 2001, food-freedom advocates, including Stewart, successfully petitioned the county to weaken regulations, providing McAfee access to a new pool of customers.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
He invited researchers from around the world to present scientific papers on cancer in minorities, and he petitioned the city of Atlanta to name October 11, the date of the conference, Henrietta Lacks Day.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Cherneff: Almost immediately after emancipation in Maryland, there were reports of parents petitioning for the freedom of their children.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
But when Hopkins began petitioning Amazon to stop selling any other titles that contain the word, she crossed a line.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
The Every Fire Survivor’s Network said it was petitioning to join a state enforcement action announced this year against the company to make sure the case results in meaningful changes at California’s largest home insurer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
Constellation is petitioning the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to bypass that delay.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
He will read another letter from Etta declaring that Alex can continue to do community service at Shady Glen and another from the boy’s aunt and uncle, petitioning to remain his guardians.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
