pleading

noun

plead·​ing ˈplē-diŋ 

1

: advocacy of a cause in a court of law

2

a

: one of the formal usually written allegations and counter allegations made alternately by the parties in a legal action or proceeding

b

: the action or process performed by the parties in presenting such formal allegations until a single point at issue is produced

c

: the introduction of one of these allegations and especially the first one

d

: the body of rules according to which these allegations are framed

3

: the act or an instance of making a plea

4

: a sincere entreaty

Synonyms

• plea
• appeal
• prayer
• petition

Examples of pleading in a Sentence

I'm tired of their begging and pleading.

Despite our pleadings to be allowed to leave, they kept us there for several more hours.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thankfully, then-general manager Scott Howson and director of amateur scouting Paul Castron listened to Riley’s pleadings. —Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

Midler joked to Colbert in an exaggerated pleading tone. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025

That pleading was roundly denied by the judge; last summer, the case proceeded to discovery. —Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025

Courts generally view these reports with skepticism but will allow allegations relying on the reports to move past the pleading stage under certain circumstances. —Tim Reynolds, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English plaiding, pledynge "arguing, contention, legal dispute," from plaiden, pleden "to contend legally, argue in court, plead" + -ing, -ynge -ing entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pleading

• special pleading

Rhymes for pleading

• beading
• bleeding
• breeding
• ceding
• feeding
• heeding
• kneading
• leading
• needing
• reding
• seeding
• speeding

Legal Definition

pleading

noun

plead·​ing

1

a

: one of the formal declarations (as a complaint or answer) exchanged by the parties in a legal proceeding (as a suit) setting forth claims, averments, allegations, denials, or defenses

also : a written document embodying such a declaration see also relation back

b

: any of the allegations, averments, claims, denials, or defenses set forth in a pleading

— alternative pleading

: a pleading that sets out an alternative theory in support of a plaintiff's claim for relief or a defendant's defense

— amended pleading

: a pleading that is filed to replace an original pleading and that contains matters omitted from or not known at the time of the original pleading

— responsive pleading \ ri-​ˈspän-​siv-​ \

: a pleading that directly responds to another pleading (as by denying in an answer allegations in a complaint)

— sham pleading

: a pleading that is factually false, is not made in good faith, and that may be struck

— supplemental pleading

: a pleading that supplements an earlier pleading with matters that have occurred or come into existence since the date of the original pleading

2

: a process or system through which the parties in a legal proceeding present their allegations

— code pleading

: pleading (as fact pleading) done in accordance with the rules set down in a code

Note: Code pleading began in 1848 in New York State and was a departure from the complex system of common-law pleading, which included a lengthy set of stages by which a single issue was produced, and which was determined by the type of writ under which the plaintiff proceeded.

— fact pleading

: pleading that requires a plaintiff to set out in the complaint facts sufficient to establish a cause of action compare notice pleading in this entry

— notice pleading

: pleading that is characterized especially by a simplified description sufficient to give notice of a claim or defense rather than by a technical account of any facts pertinent to the claim or defense compare fact pleading in this entry

Note: Notice pleading is allowed under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and in a majority of states, although complex cases often require substantial detail in the pleading.