on trial
idiom
: in a situation in which evidence against one is presented in a court to a judge and often a jury to decide if one is guilty of a crime
on trial for murder
She went on trial for possession of drugs.
—sometimes used figuratively to indicate that people will think about something in a critical wayThe controversial case has put the entire health care system on trial.
Examples of on trial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Milošević, who died while on trial for war crimes, did much to inflame Serbian nationalism in the early 1990s and presided over the bloody wars in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.
—
Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
The music producer was on trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
But in a federal courtroom in Seattle, Washington, this week, Amazon’s famed top corporate credo is going on trial.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Suspect Ryan Routh is currently on trial.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
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Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
The music producer was on trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
But in a federal courtroom in Seattle, Washington, this week, Amazon’s famed top corporate credo is going on trial.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Suspect Ryan Routh is currently on trial.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on trial
Cite this Entry
“On trial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20trial. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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