prosecution
noun
pros·e·cu·tion
ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən 
1
: the act or process of prosecuting
specifically
: the institution and continuance of a criminal suit involving the process of pursuing formal charges against an offender to final judgment
2
: the party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted or conducted
3
obsolete
: pursuit
Examples of prosecution in a Sentence
There has been an increase in prosecutions for gun-related crimes.
The defendant is awaiting prosecution.
The prosecution called their first witness.
The prosecution rests, Your Honor.
The defense told the jury that the prosecution had not proved its case.
Recent Examples on the Web
At the end of every successful criminal prosecution, one question hangs over the heads of offenders, victims and attorneys.
—
Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
The Department of Justice has quietly walked back aggressive prosecutions, signalling that builders of non-custodial protocols aren’t the same as operators of centralized exchanges.
—Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The attorneys, called judge advocates, have a range of duties much like civilian lawyers, from carrying out prosecutions, acting as a defense attorney or offering legal advice.
—Konstantin Toropin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Bolsonaro's prosecution has been testing the strength of the democratic institutions, particularly the judiciary and the Supreme Court, which handle criminal cases against politicians.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prosecution
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Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
The Department of Justice has quietly walked back aggressive prosecutions, signalling that builders of non-custodial protocols aren’t the same as operators of centralized exchanges.
—Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The attorneys, called judge advocates, have a range of duties much like civilian lawyers, from carrying out prosecutions, acting as a defense attorney or offering legal advice.
—Konstantin Toropin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Bolsonaro's prosecution has been testing the strength of the democratic institutions, particularly the judiciary and the Supreme Court, which handle criminal cases against politicians.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prosecution
Cite this Entry
“Prosecution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosecution. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prosecution
noun
pros·e·cu·tion
ˌpräs-i-ˈkyü-shən
1
: the act or process of prosecuting
especially
: the bringing and continuance of a criminal case
2
: the one bringing charges of crime against a person being tried
especially
: the state's lawyers in a criminal case
Legal Definition
prosecution
noun
pros·e·cu·tion
ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən
1
: the act or process of prosecuting
especially
: the institution and carrying on of a criminal action involving the process of seeking formal charges against a person and pursuing those charges to final judgment
2
: the party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted or conducted compare defense sense 3, plaintiff
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