litigation

noun

lit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌli-tə-ˈgā-shən 

plural litigations

: the act, process, or practice of settling a dispute in a court of law : the act or process of litigating

an issue that has been in litigation for years

an attorney who specializes in the litigation of property disputes

The American Judicial System generally limits the filing of lawsuits to individuals with a personal stake in the litigation, but there are instances when litigants cannot themselves prosecute an action.

—Jonathan Mahler

also : a legal action or proceeding (such as a lawsuit)

"You can't realize how much it costs to run one of these litigations. To get a battery of lawyers into a courtroom and do all the planning … and so on costs $500,000."

—Gordon Gould

Examples of litigation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gayles emphasized that the protection applies before discovery, when litigation itself can impose substantial costs on publishers. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Tylenol's legal troubles In acquiring Kenvue, Kimberly-Clark also inherits legal and reputational risks over Tylenol, which has faced litigation and controversy over allegations concerning its use during pregnancy. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026

The dispute has also produced federal investigations and litigation in Michigan. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

With the high stakes of the elections, late-breaking litigation over voting is expected in key battleground states on Tuesday and in the days following the election. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing litigation

• in litigation

Rhymes for litigation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation