prosecutor
Americannoun
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prosecutors
plural
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Law.
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a person, as a complainant or chief witness, instigating prosecution in a criminal proceeding.
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a person who prosecutes.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosecutor
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin prōsecūtor “pursuer”; see prosecute, -tor
Compare meaning
How does prosecutor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
On a TV crime drama or in real life courts, the prosecutor is the person who brings criminal charges against a suspect. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for a state or government organization and is responsible for starting legal proceedings and then proving in court that the suspect committed the crime he’s accused of. The opposite of a prosecutor is a defense attorney. So on that TV crime drama, the prosecutor is the one trying to put the bad guy in jail, and the defense attorney is the one trying to prove that the guy really isn’t a bad guy.
Vocabulary lists containing prosecutor
Monster
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When You Reach Me
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Ghost Boys
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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.
See Examples For:
"The prosecutor is bringing a case against him at court now. It is the beginning of the extradition hearing process," Prayuth Pecharakun, spokesman for Thailand's attorney general, told AFP on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The prosecutor added that it was as if Palfrey was the foreman stopping Kerr's friends getting involved.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The White House and the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles both denied the allegations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Some of those videos were subsequently shared on social media and led to cases of mockery or hateful messages, leading to the Paris public prosecutor opening an investigation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Several people had suggested that Tom Chapman, the new Monroe County district attorney and a former criminal defense attorney, would be fairer and more sympathetic to someone wrongly convicted than lifelong prosecutor Ted Pearson.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Environment agency officials are also accused by anti-corruption prosecutors of being involved in trafficking toxic waste from Elbasan.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
That prompted the Paris police to ask prosecutors to open an investigation into Bagayoko for incitement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Local prosecutors have declined to confirm the arrests when contacted by the BBC.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
At its head, prosecutors say, are two businessmen who have been on the run since 2024 and are wanted by Interpol, Mirel Mertiri and Klodian Zoto.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
I spun on my heel and went directly to the judge's chambers, and the prosecutors followed me.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
