prosecute

verb pros·e·cute \ ˈprä-si-ˌkyüt \

|Updated on: 7 Jul 2018

Examples: prosecute in a Sentence

Editor's Note: prosecute vs. persecute

Definition of prosecute

prosecuted; prosecuting

transitive verb

1 : to follow to the end : pursue until finished

prosecute a war

2 : to engage in : perform

3 a : to bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law

b : to institute legal proceedings with reference to

prosecute a claim

intransitive verb

: to institute and carry on a legal suit or prosecution

—

prosecutable

play \ˌprä-sə-ˈkyü-tə-bəl\ adjective

See prosecute defined for English-language learners

See prosecute defined for kids

Examples of prosecute in a Sentence

The store's owner agreed not to prosecute if the boy returned the stolen goods.
The case is being prosecuted by the assistant district attorney.
She criticized the government for the way it has prosecuted the war.

Recent Examples of prosecute from the Web

The case was prosecuted by U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson.

— david owens, courant.com, "Newington Insurance Salesman Sentenced To 70 Months In Federal Prison For Tax Fraud," 3 July 2018
The Department of Justice has also requested the Flores settlement be modified to permit longer detention of families being prosecuted, including children.

— Washington Post, "Immigrant Families Placed In Detention Centers Face Health Care Challenges," 2 July 2018
They were never prosecuted, and the incident played an early role in ushering in the civil rights movement.

— gabe cohn, New York Times, "What’s on TV Monday: ‘The Rape of Recy Taylor’ and ‘Strangers’," 2 July 2018
Will Jessie Liu, who is the U.S. attorney in D.C., prosecute Andrew McCabe?

— Fox News, "Former agent fires back at calls to abolish ICE," 30 June 2018
Under that exception, a defendant could be prosecuted by both the state government and the federal government for the same offense.

— matt ford, The New Republic, "What the New Supreme Court Will Decide," 29 June 2018
The case against Man is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang.

— kathryn watson, CBS News, "Man arrested on charges of threatening to kill FCC chairman's family," 29 June 2018
Mathews prosecuted a number of high-profile murder, drug and gang cases during his tenure, most recently holding the title of chief of the office’s Gang and Narcotics Division.

— jim newton, Lake County News-Sun, "New appointment brings experience, diversity to Lake County Circuit Court bench," 26 June 2018
DeSantis recently prosecuted a 60-year-old woman, a decades-long con artist, who forced an 87-year-old South Philadelphia woman into a bank to withdraw $600 — her entire savings account.

— erin arvedlund, Philly.com, "Philly DA Krasner's new unit to prosecute elder financial abusers," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prosecute.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

prosecute vs. persecute

Take care to distinguish between prosecuted and persecuted, although we sincerely hope that neither word applies to you. Persecute typically has a small range of meanings, such as “to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict.” Although the word is occasionally found in dialectal use to mean “prosecute,” many usage guides consider this to be an error. Prosecute is generally found today in a legal context (“to bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law”), although the word may also be used to mean “to follow to the end” or “to engage in.” If someone is prosecuted they are being tried in a court of law; if they are persecuted they are being targeted and harassed.

Origin and Etymology of prosecute

Middle English, from Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to pursue — more at pursue

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

prosecute Synonyms

Synonyms

accomplish, achieve, bring off, carry off, carry out, commit, compass, do, execute, follow through (with), fulfill (or fulfil), make, negotiate, perform, perpetrate, pull off, put through;

Near Antonyms

fail;

skimp, slight, slur;

ace, nail;

engage (in), practice (also practise);

work (at);

reduplicate, reenact, repeat;

actualize, attain, realize;

complete, end, finish, wind up;

Phrases

go through;

PROSECUTE Defined for English Language Learners

prosecute

verb

Definition of prosecute for English Language Learners

law : to hold a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty
: to work as a lawyer to try to prove a case against someone accused of a crime
: to continue to do (something) : to proceed with (something)