prosecution

noun pros·e·cu·tion \ ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of prosecution

1 : the act or process of prosecuting; specifically : the institution and continuance of a criminal suit involving the process of pursuing formal charges against an offender to final judgment

2 : the party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted or conducted

3 obsolete : pursuit

See prosecution defined for English-language learners

See prosecution defined for kids

Examples of prosecution in a Sentence

There has been an increase in prosecutions for gun-related crimes.
The defendant is awaiting prosecution.
The prosecution called their first witness.
The prosecution rests, Your Honor.
The defense told the jury that the prosecution had not proved its case.

Recent Examples of prosecution from the Web

The judge is going to allow the prosecution to present the accounts of five additional women with accusations similar to Constand's against Cosby.

— abby gardner, Glamour, "Bill Cosby Paid a $3.38 Million Settlement to One of His Sexual Assault Accusers," 10 Apr. 2018
That mistake would haunt the prosecution of Penalver years later.

— lisa arthur, www.feloniousflorida.com, "The Faces of the Killers," 10 Apr. 2018
Six employees were fired for gross misconduct related to the case, and the renowned HBCU has referred the matter for criminal prosecution.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "Howard University Student in Financial Scandal: Life Ain’t Been No Crystal Stair," 4 Apr. 2018
In Nigeria, criminal prosecutions could follow if Cambridge Analytica is found to have interfered with elections, said Garba Shehu, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari.

— anna eva cardovillis and bukola adebayo, CNN, "Nigeria, Kenya to probe Cambridge Analytica's alleged role in their elections," 3 Apr. 2018
The issue is whether granting a pardon in order to stop an investigation can be the basis for a criminal or-- prosecution.

— NBC News, "Meet the Press - April 1, 2018," 1 Apr. 2018
The trial of his widow, Noor Salman, will be the only criminal prosecution for the incident.

— jennifer earl, Fox News, "Pulse nightclub trial for Noor Salman: What to know about the Orlando shooter's widow," 28 Mar. 2018
If a criminal prosecution ends in a dismissal of the charges, for instance, the case gets sealed.

— joseph goldstein, New York Times, "Police ‘Testilying’ Remains a Problem. Here Is How the Criminal Justice System Could Reduce It.," 22 Mar. 2018
But last summer, the government began ramping up criminal prosecutions of parents, forcing the removal of children who cannot be kept in prison.

— lomi kriel, San Antonio Express-News, "ACLU challenges Trump administration practice of separating migrants and their children," 9 Mar. 2018

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

First Known Use of prosecution

1545

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

prosecution Synonyms

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

PROSECUTION Defined for English Language Learners

prosecution

noun

Definition of prosecution for English Language Learners

: the act or process of holding a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty
the prosecution : the side of a legal case which argues that a person who is accused of a crime is guilty : the lawyer or lawyers who prosecute someone in a court case
: the act of doing or continuing to do something

PROSECUTION Defined for Kids

prosecution

noun pros·e·cu·tion \ ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən \

Definition of prosecution for Students

1 : the act of carrying on a legal action against a person accused of a crime in court

2 : the lawyers in a criminal case trying to prove that the accused person is guilty

The prosecution will try to prove it was murder.

Law Dictionary

prosecution

noun pros·e·cu·tion \ ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən \

legal Definition of prosecution

1 : the act or process of prosecuting; especially : the institution and carrying on of a criminal action involving the process of seeking formal charges against a person and pursuing those charges to final judgment

2 : the party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted or conducted — compare defense 3, plaintiff