plead the Fifth
Americanidiom
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to refuse to provide testimony that may incriminate oneself in a court of law.
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to refuse to answer a question with the implication that the answer has consequences one wishes to avoid.
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.
Comer, previewing the deposition, said, "her lawyers have been saying she is going to plead the Fifth," referring to the US Fifth Amendment right to decline to speak to authorities.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026
He anticipated that the Trumps would plead the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination as Eric Trump did for six hours.
From Salon • Feb. 18, 2022
It’s unclear whether Clark and Eastman, who were both reportedly scheduled to appear before the committee in the past week, have shown up yet to formally plead the Fifth.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2021
The committee wants Clark to plead the Fifth Amendment on a question-by-question basis, unlike his first deposition when he and his lawyer abruptly left.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2021
Holmes’ lawyers have tried to get sections of a prior deposition from Balwani admitted as evidence in this case, because they say his lawyers told them he would plead the Fifth.
From The Verge • Nov. 29, 2021
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.
