Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

prosecuting attorney

American  

noun

(sometimes initial capital letters)

  1. the public officer in a county, district, or other jurisdiction charged with carrying on the prosecution in criminal proceedings.

prosecuting attorney British  

noun

  1. law (in some states) an officer in a judicial district appointed to conduct criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state and people

"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

Etymology

Origin of prosecuting attorney

First recorded in 1825–35

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.

His 1913 trial led to his conviction despite shoddy evidence and the manipulations of an ambitious prosecuting attorney, who shamelessly preyed on the prejudices of the jury.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2025

The St. Louis County prosecuting attorney sought to reduce his sentence to life without parole but was ultimately unsuccessful.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2024

Also concerned about the DNA, the local prosecuting attorney, Wesley Bell, requested a hearing.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2024

Bush went on to run for Congress, while Bell ran for City Council and then became the first Black prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County.

From Slate • Aug. 5, 2024

The prosecuting attorney must have sent this, I reasoned.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

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.