grand jury

noun

: a jury that examines accusations against persons charged with crime and if the evidence warrants makes formal charges (as by indictment)

grand juror noun

Examples of grand jury in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The fact that Cicero failed to cooperate with state auditors is likely to draw significant public attention given that the FBI and a federal grand jury have also demanded records about her businesses and her relationship with McCrory. —Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2026

In January, Powell revealed that the Federal Reserve had received grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into him. —Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

In Virginia, grand juries twice balked at indictments of James after the original charges were tossed. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Attempts to revive the case against James were twice rejected by a grand jury, sources previously told ABC News. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grand jury

• buri
• fury

Kids Definition

grand jury

noun

: a jury that chiefly examines accusations of crime made against persons and if the evidence warrants makes formal charges on which the accused persons are later tried

Legal Definition

grand jury

noun

: a jury that examines accusations against persons charged with crime and if the evidence warrants makes formal charges on which the accused persons are later tried see also no bill and true bill at bill sense 3b, indictment compare petit jury, special grand jury