SINCE 1828
proceeding
noun
pro·ceed·ing
| \ prō-ˈsē-diŋ
, prə-\
, prə-\
Definition of proceeding
1
: legal action
a divorce proceeding
2
: procedure
4
: transaction
5
proceedings plural
: an official record of things said or done
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Examples of proceeding in a Sentence
The secretary kept a record of the proceedings at the meeting.
She started the proceedings with a brief welcoming speech.
The proceedings of the conference will be published.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Yes, reported Buzzfeed on Thursday, giving rise to frantic Democratic calls for immediate impeachment proceedings. — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "The Week in Washington: “I Never Worked for Russia!”," 20 Jan. 2019 While a hearing date is scheduled for February, proceedings on her possible extradition are likely to stretch on for weeks or longer. — Chun Han Wong, WSJ, "China Defends Canadian’s Death Sentence as Huawei Tensions Simmer," 15 Jan. 2019 Accordingly, young and nonwhite respondents were likelier to think the proceedings were fair, and older/white people were less likely. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Exclusive: We re-ran polls from 1991 about Anita Hill, this time about Christine Blasey Ford," 4 Oct. 2018 Funk said filing the homicide charge in General Sessions court lets the case be presented in open court as transparently as possible, since grand jury proceedings are secret. — Jonathan Mattise, Fox News, "Prosecutor files charge in police shooting of black man," 27 Sep. 2018 For the Estonians, the Kazaa proceedings were like playing with fire—a little dangerous but still exciting—and their names began to pop up in the international press. — Toivo Tänavsuu, Ars Technica, "“How can they be so good?”: The strange story of Skype," 3 Sep. 2018 That is because enforcing such a narrow definition of impeachment would rest on Mr Dershowitz’s second claim—that impeachment proceedings may be subject to judicial review. — The Economist, "The case against impeachment," 12 July 2018 After access to the facility was approved last week, access was denied to the courtrooms when guards said the proceedings were closed, without explanation. — Molly Hennessy-fiske, latimes.com, "Impact of ‘zero tolerance’ on display in Texas immigration court. One after another, asylum seekers are ordered deported," 5 July 2018 The composition, which included new music as well as pieces already in her repertoire, brought a slightly eerie touch to the proceedings. — Rachel Hahn, Vogue, "Meet the Producer Behind New York Fashion Week’s Coolest Soundtrack," 13 Feb. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'proceeding.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for proceeding
proceeding
noun
English Language Learners Definition of proceeding
law
: the process of appearing before a court of law so a decision can be made about an argument or claim : a legal action
: things that are said or done at a meeting, conference, ceremony, etc.
formal
: an official record of the things said or done at a meeting, conference, etc.
See the full definition for proceeding in the English Language Learners Dictionary
proceeding
noun
pro·ceed·ing
Legal Definition of proceeding
1
: a particular step or series of steps in the enforcement, adjudication, or administration of rights, remedies, laws, or regulations: as
a
: an action, hearing, trial, or application before the court
—
collateral proceeding
: a proceeding that concerns an order, motion, petition, or writ deriving from or sought in relation to another proceeding (as a trial)
a collateral proceeding on a motion to have the judge in a pending trial disqualified
especially
: one in which a collateral attack on a judgment is made
sought to avoid the effect of the judgment in a collateral proceeding after denial of a direct appeal
—
core proceeding
: a proceeding (as one instituted by a debtor against a creditor) that is integral to the administration of a bankruptcy estate and so falls under the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court
—
non-core proceeding
: a proceeding involving a matter that relates to a bankruptcy case but that does not arise under bankruptcy laws, that could be adjudicated in a state court, and over which a bankruptcy court has limited authority
—
special proceeding
: a proceeding (as for condemnation or disbarment) that may be commenced independently of a pending action by petition or motion and from which a final order affecting a substantial right may be immediately appealed
special proceedings created exclusively by statute where a special procedure is appropriate and warranted — Sosebee v. County Line Sch. Dist., 897 S.W.2d 556 (1995)
—
summary proceeding
: a civil or criminal proceeding in the nature of a trial that is conducted without formalities (as indictment, pleadings, and usually a jury) for the speedy and peremptory disposition of a matter
—
supplementary proceeding
: a proceeding to discover the assets of a judgment debtor
also
: a proceeding that in some way supplements another
b
: a hearing conducted by an administrative body
c
: a criminal prosecution or investigation
2
plural
: an official record of things done or said
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