tort

noun

\ ˈtȯrt

Definition of tort

: a wrongful act other than a breach of contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction

Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About tort

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Did you know?

Tort came into English straight from French many centuries ago, and it still looks a little odd. Its root meaning of "twisted" (as opposed to "straight") obviously came to mean "wrong" (as opposed to "right"). Every first-year law student takes a course in the important subject of torts. Torts include all the so-called "product-liability" cases, against manufacturers of cars, household products, children's toys, and so on. They also cover dog bites, slander and libel, and a huge variety of other very personal cases of injury, both mental and physical—Torts class is never dull. If you're sued for a tort and lose, you usually have to pay "damages"—that is, a sum of money—to the person who you wronged.

Examples of tort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But actual legal liability doesn’t count for much when the U.S. mass tort industry gets rolling. — WSJ, 22 July 2021 Dozens of states have enacted coronavirus tort protections to shield vulnerable health-care providers, manufacturers, and small businesses from frivolous lawsuits related to the pandemic. — Michael Lucci, National Review, 15 June 2021 The case would be dismissed if the DOJ were to replace Trump, because defamation is an intentional tort that isn't covered by the Westfall Act, Stern said. — Marlene Lenthang, ABC News, 9 June 2021 Bankruptcy can be a powerful tool for companies facing vast numbers of lawsuits over allegedly defective products or other mass-tort claims. — Andrew Scurria, WSJ, 19 July 2021 Denis Bender, a tort law professor at Chapman University in Orange County, California, who studies widescale disasters, sees a growing tendency in such cases not just to seek damages but to pursue criminal charges, often for negligence. — Maryclaire Dale And Curt Anderson, Chron, 7 July 2021 The agreement includes both the official tort claimants committee, which is charged with acting as a fiduciary in the bankruptcy case for all abuse victims, as well as a separate plaintiffs group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice. — CBS News, 2 July 2021 The agreement includes both the official tort claimants committee, which is charged with acting as a fiduciary in the bankruptcy case for all abuse victims, as well as a separate plaintiffs group called the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice. — Dallas News, 2 July 2021 The legal maneuver would have also required a judge to find that a federal tort law which protects government employees from civil liability also applies to a sitting president. — Anchorage Daily News, 8 June 2021

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

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Last Updated

18 Aug 2021

Cite this Entry

“Tort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tort. Accessed 22 Aug. 2021.

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More Definitions for tort

tort

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tort

law : an action that wrongly causes harm to someone but that is not a crime and that is dealt with in a civil court

See the full definition for tort in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tort

noun

\ ˈtȯrt

Legal Definition of tort

: a wrongful act other than a breach of contract that injures another and for which the law imposes civil liability : a violation of a duty (as to exercise due care) imposed by law as distinguished from contract for which damages or declaratory relief (as an injunction) may be obtained also : a cause of action based on such an act the court declined to recognize the tort — National Law Journal cannot sue in tort — compare crime, delict