press charges
Americanidiom
Etymology
Origin of press charges
First recorded in 1885–90
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.
Throughout his police interviews, Alex was also adamant he didn't want to press charges.
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
"I decided to press charges because this is something that I experienced as a woman, but that we as women experience in our country," she said.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
Sovann Komar’s new management soon made a series of accusations against Sothea and three of the foster parents, and asked prosecutors to press charges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025
And when Maggie decides to press charges against Hank and tell her story to the press, the fallout unsurprisingly does not seem great enough.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2025
“I’m sorry, Aibileen. Hilly, if you want to... press charges, that’s up to you.”
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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.
