petition

[ puh-tish-uhn ]

/ pəˈtɪʃ ən /

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See synonyms for: petition / petitioned / petitioning / petitioner on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

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.

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).

verb (used without object)

to present a petition.

to address or present a formal petition.

to request or solicit, as by a petition: to petition for redress of grievances.

OTHER WORDS FOR petition

1 suit.

2 entreaty, solicitation, appeal.

9 solicit, sue.

See synonyms for petition on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of petition

1300–50; Middle English peticioun (<Middle French peticion) <Latin petītiōn- (stem of petītiō) a seeking out, equivalent to petīt(us) (past participle of petere to seek) + -iōn--ion

synonym study for petition

9. See appeal.

OTHER WORDS FROM petition

pe·ti·tion·a·ble, adjectivepe·ti·tion·er, pe·ti·tion·ist, nouncoun·ter·pe·ti·tion, noun, verbpre·pe·ti·tion, noun, verb (used with object)

re-pe·ti·tion, verb (used with object)un·pe·ti·tioned, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use petition in a sentence

Thousands of college students have signed petitions to cancel online-proctor deals in California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin and Washington state.
Cheating-detection companies made millions during the pandemic. Now students are fighting back.|Drew Harwell|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
Judge Brenda Penny ruled against immediately removing Britney Spears’s father from the conservatorship of her estate as Spears requested earlier this summer, although she has not ruled out future petitions for his removal or suspension.
Why Britney Spears’s fans are convinced she’s being held captive|Constance Grady|November 11, 2020|Vox
The petition must be filed within 48 hours of the count’s completion.
How recounts work in Georgia, Wisconsin and other key states|Brittany Shammas, Emma Brown, Jon Swaine|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
Still, she said, the state’s clerks were prepared to conduct a recount if a petition was received to do so.
How a Wisconsin recount would work|Rosalind Helderman, Kim Bellware, Dan Simmons, Peter Kendall|November 4, 2020|Washington Post

I answered a Facebook post and signed a petition, which led to several conversations about pandemic support for folks like me and how to advocate for things like additional stimulus funding from our elected officials.
I’m a Michigander who’s always voted Republican. But the President has failed us|jakemeth|November 1, 2020|Fortune
Apparently, the population of Kayakoy had petitioned the government in Ankara for the right to remain.
Turkey's Gorgeous Ghost Town|Nina Strochlic|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Liberty Counsel, a Christian freedom group challenging the law in court, petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Anti-Gay Quacks|Tim Mak|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last month, the reclusive Matt Sandusky petitioned a court and was granted a name change for himself, his wife and four children.
Sandusky Son to Settle|Diane Dimond|August 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When the degree of the chaos and corruption became evident, we petitioned the IOC to move the Games before it was too late.
Boycott Putin, Not the Sochi Olympics|Garry Kasparov|August 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
That's when Windsor petitioned the Supreme Court to hear her case on an expedited basis.
Edie Windsor, the Widow Taking On DOMA|Steven Thrasher|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They therefore petitioned General McArthur to relieve them temporarily from duty to recuperate their strength.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
At any rate, they petitioned Parliament for the removal of this too ardent fisherman, and he was sequestered accordingly.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries|Charles G. Harper
Perrott petitioned for a grant of the cargo, but the owners, who were wholly or partly French, complained to the Queen.
Ireland Under the Tudors, Vol. II (of 3)|Richard Bagwell
The reason, then, why the people have not received any word from the Great King, is because they have petitioned the wrong god.
The Kingdom of God, Part 1|Orson Pratt
The House petitioned for their recall in consequence of the language they had used in these letters.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2)|Edward Gibbon

British Dictionary definitions for petition

petition

/ (pɪˈtɪʃən) /

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 actiona 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

(intr foll by for) to seek by petitionto petition for a change in the law

Derived forms of petition

petitionary, adjective

Word Origin for petition

C14: from Latin petītiō, from petere to seek

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

petition

OTHER WORDS FOR petition

Origin of petition

synonym study for petition

OTHER WORDS FROM petition

Words related to petition

How to use petition in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for petition

Derived forms of petition

Word Origin for petition