plea deal

American  

[plee deel] / ˈpli ˌdil /

noun

plea deals plural

1. an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant under which the defendant agrees to plead guilty, often to a lesser charge or in exchange for a lighter sentence.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• plea deals
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plea deal

She said auditors in Ohio created a “false narrative” about her charter school and her actions, and that she took a plea deal only after being exhausted emotionally and financially by a drawn-out investigation.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Under his plea deal with US authorities, Zambada faced a mandatory minimum term of life imprisonment without parole on a racketeering charge.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

But after striking a plea deal, he admitted to one count of illegally retaining classified information.

From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026

The plea deal also directs Bolton to conduct 100 hours of community service, at the direction of the Justice Department, to help with issues related to the unlawful handling and disclosure of classified information.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Whether a good plea deal is offered to a defendant is entirely up to the prosecutor.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander