as in defendant
law
someone who brings a legal action against another person or against whom a legal action is brought
Both litigants chose to represent themselves in court.
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Recent Examples of litigant
Black citizens could now testify, regardless of litigants’ race.
—
Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
In this case, the majority of the court reached for an issue no one presented, setting aside the normal procedure of dealing only with the facts and questions presented by the litigants, Wood said.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
Fans can expect to see Tommie Lee, Mehgan James, and Daphnique Springs, alongside everyday litigants whose real-life disputes spark equal parts laughter and drama.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
With a slew of generative AI tools available to anyone with an internet connection, a rising number of litigants are using AI to assist in their legal cases.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for litigant
Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
In this case, the majority of the court reached for an issue no one presented, setting aside the normal procedure of dealing only with the facts and questions presented by the litigants, Wood said.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
Fans can expect to see Tommie Lee, Mehgan James, and Daphnique Springs, alongside everyday litigants whose real-life disputes spark equal parts laughter and drama.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
With a slew of generative AI tools available to anyone with an internet connection, a rising number of litigants are using AI to assist in their legal cases.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for litigant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for litigant
Noun
-
One of Wagner’s co-defendants was also sentenced Wednesday for his guilty plea to assault, which was downgraded to a misdemeanor charge.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
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The defendant and his mother frequently argued in the weeks between Wei Hou’s release from prison and the victim’s murder, with Zhu Hou believing her son was stealing cash from her to fund his drug habit, Holland said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Regardless of which party is calling for the impeachment of judges, the outcome is unlikely to result in a conviction by the Senate.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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Labor strikes are not allowed, the leadership has control over the courts and media, and last but not least, opposition to the party is not allowed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The motion said one plaintiff was able to change her birth certificate, and the office was unable to find an Idaho birth certificate for the other.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
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The plaintiff, Shaun Gray, is now facing potential liability for allegedly defrauding the studio and infringing on its copyrights.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Litigant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/litigant. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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