sue
verb (used with object)
to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.
sue
1 American
[soo]
/ su /
verb (used with object)
-
sues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sued,
past participle, past
-
suing
present participle
-
to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.
to sue someone for damages.
-
to woo or court.
-
Obsolete. to make petition or appeal to.
verb (used without object)
-
sues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sued,
past participle, past
-
suing
present participle
verb phrase
sue
1
British
/ suː, sjuː /
verb
-
to institute legal proceedings (against)
-
to make suppliant requests of (someone for something)
-
archaic to pay court (to)
Sue
2
British
/ sy /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
suesimple
-
suessimple
-
have suedperfect
-
has suedperfect
-
am suingprogressive
-
are suingprogressive
-
is suingprogressive
-
have been suingperfect progressive
-
has been suingperfect progressive
Past
-
suedsimple
-
had suedperfect
-
was suingprogressive
-
were suingprogressive
-
had been suingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sue
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English suen, siwen, from Old French sivre, from unattested Vulgar Latin sequere “to follow,” for Latin sequī
Explanation
If you sue someone, you're accusing them (in court) of doing something wrong or illegal and demanding that they pay for it. Almost every time someone sues, they're looking for money. One of the last things you want to hear is "I'll sue you!" People sue for a lot of reasons. If you slipped on the ice, you could sue the sidewalk owner for not putting salt down. If you were in a car accident, you could sue the other driver. Years ago, someone sued McDonald's for scalding themselves on a cup of coffee they said was too hot. Sometimes it seems like people will find any reason to sue.
Vocabulary lists containing sue
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:
If the state were to sue and ultimately lose, it probably would not be in a worse situation than if it simply accepted large cuts under the federal plan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Sauer also argued the lawsuit should be thrown out on the grounds that National Trust for Historic Preservation and its members have no standing to sue because they have not suffered a particular injury.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
A Kentucky statute required they sue those who had given authority for the rezoning: their own neighbors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
They can go into federal court and sue and vindicate their rights that way immediately.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
She said, “Yeah, but if you printed a lie about me, my dad would sue you— and then your computer would be my computer!”
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
The couple sold their house in Laurel Canyon and bought the Topanga property in the late ’90s from Melissa Sue Anderson, who had played Mary Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
On Saturday in Carmel, Ind., emergency officials relocated about 40 residents from their homes amid flooding and helped move residents and staff from a senior living facility, Mayor Sue Finkam said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
When Sue Nyathi sent her debut novel The Polygamist to publishers, "they thought there was no market for the book" about a married Zimbabwean man and the women he seduces, she says.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Since 1979, Heart’s Coffee Shop in Lake Balboa has been under the careful ownership of Yuk and Sue Wong.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
And Dodger seemed to like her, giving Sue a nudge with his nose that made her giggle.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Don’t bet on his arguments succeeding in court if Kalshi sues Wisconsin.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Crowley’s new lawsuit Tuesday sues Bass personally for defamation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
California may hire outside lawyers if it sues Paramount, Bonta said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Florida man sues Outback Steakhouse after toilet collapse.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
If Ziggy isn’t found, what if Mae sues us?
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
A group of states sued and obtained an injunction from a federal judge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
After a group of 23 states sued, multiple federal courts issued injunctions blocking its implementation.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
Both campaigns sued in state circuit court, where a judge on Wednesday ruled for Hoskins in both cases.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
In recent years, Harry has sued three different UK newspapers, becoming the first senior royal in over a century to enter the witness box as he won settlements from two.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
He sued The Coca-Cola Company, claiming a bottle of soda he’d bought was filled with ground glass, though he was in a prison that only offered Pepsi products in aluminum cans.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Paramount has said it will be prepared to move its operations to Tennessee in October if it cannot reach an accord with the suing states.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
This is not like suing somebody that’s judgment-proof or somebody can’t hire a good lawyer.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026
But with rebates flowing, counterparties are now suing some of these companies for pocketing those higher costs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
Christian metal band Demon Hunter are suing Netflix in a trademark lawsuit over the streamer's hit film Kpop Demon Hunters.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
We had the Clemson cattle to contend with, but Pa never thought of suing for damages like most folks.
From "Worth" by A. LaFaye
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.
