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
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
Gordon Gould Examples of litigation in a Sentence
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Plastics Technology Readiness Matrix Preserving Social License to Operate
As global awareness of environmental justice rises, companies that proactively address community siting, health impacts, and international waste flows will preserve operating licenses and avoid costly litigation.
—Trond Arne Undheim, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Their litigation said that the exchange violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the First Amendment's religious rights protections and two environmental laws.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Between 2022 and 2023, Tallahassee lawmakers introduced tort reform measures that successfully reduced litigation in the state.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
Environmental review laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, add years to the timeline and open the door to litigation.
—Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025
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Trond Arne Undheim, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Their litigation said that the exchange violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the First Amendment's religious rights protections and two environmental laws.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Between 2022 and 2023, Tallahassee lawmakers introduced tort reform measures that successfully reduced litigation in the state.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
Environmental review laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, add years to the timeline and open the door to litigation.
—Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for litigation
Cite this Entry
“Litigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litigation. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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