mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l 

: a trial that has no legal effect with regard to one or more of the charges brought against the defendant because of some serious error or prejudicial misconduct in the proceedings or a hung jury

Examples of mistrial in a Sentence

The judge declared a mistrial.

Recent Examples on the Web

An Argentine judge was relieved of her post on Tuesday after causing a mistrial in the negligence case against late soccer legend Diego Maradona's medical team due to her involvement in a documentary about it. —CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

Then, in November 2023, a mistrial was declared when a jury could not reach a verdict in the federal case. —Karla Ward Lexington Herald-Leader, Arkansas Online, 16 Nov. 2025

There was a second trial in June 2004, but jurors were deadlocked, leading the judge to rule a mistrial. —Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025

Yet, when the foreman refused to return to the jury room to deliberate the Mann charges, a mistrial was one of the only options. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mistrial

• denial
• posttrial
• pretrial
• retrial
• dial
• rial
• thiol
• trial
• vial
• sensorial
• supervisorial

Kids Definition

mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l 

: a trial that is cancelled because of an error in the proceedings

Legal Definition

mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī-əl 

: a trial that terminates without a verdict because of error, necessity, prejudicial misconduct, or a hung jury see also manifest necessity compare dismissal sense 2, trial de novo