prosecute

verb

pros·​e·​cute ˈprä-si-ˌkyüt How to pronounce prosecute (audio)
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 adjective

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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.

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the time, no crime had been prosecuted by jury trial in the county in four decades. Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025 Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate Biden's handling of classified documents and prosecuted the president's son with gun and tax charges. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025 Either way, Bondi has set the stage for presidents to openly use the department to prosecute their political enemies, in a move that could come back to haunt Republicans if Democrats take control of the White House. Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025 Johnson says Comey may be able to argue that he is being prosecuted out of vindictiveness, given the president's remarks. Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prosecute

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prosecute was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Prosecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosecute. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

prosecute

verb
pros·​e·​cute ˈpräs-i-ˌkyüt How to pronounce prosecute (audio)
prosecuted; prosecuting
1
: to follow up to the end : keep at
prosecute a war
2
: to carry on a legal action against an accused person to prove his or her guilt
prosecutable adjective

Legal Definition

prosecute

verb
pros·​e·​cute ˈprä-si-ˌkyüt How to pronounce prosecute (audio)
prosecuted; prosecuting

transitive verb

1
: to institute and carry forward legal action against for redress or especially punishment of a crime
2
: to institute and carry on a lawsuit with reference to
an action must be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interestFederal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 17(a)

intransitive verb

: to institute and carry on a civil or criminal action
decided not to prosecute
prosecutable adjective
Etymology

Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to pursue

More from Merriam-Webster on prosecute

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