noun
-
a trial made void because of some error, such as a defect in procedure
-
(in the US) an inconclusive trial, as when a jury cannot agree on a verdict
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mistrial
Explanation
When a judge cancels a trial, she declares a mistrial. In other words, she decides that some mistake has been made and the trial must begin again from the start, with a new jury. There are several reasons that a judge might declare a mistrial, including a hung jury, which is when the jury can't come to a unanimous decision. There might also be misconduct by an attorney, or improperly introduced evidence. A mistrial usually means having to start all over again. The noun mistrial begins with the prefix mis-, which comes from Old English and means "bad or wrong."
Vocabulary lists containing mistrial
Power Prefix: mis-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Just Mercy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dear Martin
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 mistrial leaves both the case and Clancy's future uncertain, as prosecutors determine whether they want to take the case to trial a second time with a new jury.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
On Friday, the judge in the Lindsay Clancy case declared a mistrial after a week of jury deadlock.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
The judge declared a mistrial on Friday after jurors - who had heard the testimony of dozens of witnesses and deliberated for 40 hours - failed to come to a uninanimous decision.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Watch: What is a mistrial and what does it mean for Lindsay Clancy?
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
The jury was unable to reach a consensus regarding the felony murder charge, and a mistrial was declared on that count.
From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone
The charges against Pollack’s client were ultimately dropped after back-to-back mistrials in 2022.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
The first trial, which featured separate juries for each brother, ended in mistrials.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025
The testimony left the jurors split between manslaughter and murder verdicts and contributed to the impasse that led to the mistrials.
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2023
It was the third trial, after two earlier mistrials.
From Reuters ● Oct. 16, 2022
His two jury trials ended in mistrials, most recently in June.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 14, 2022
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.
