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 Schiff gained national exposure among Democrats prosecuting the first impeachment of former Republican President Donald Trump, the GOP’s frontrunner for the 2024 presidential nomination. John Woolfolk, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 Paxton targeted Judges Sharon Keller, Barbara Hervey and Michelle Slaughter after the trio joined five other judges in preventing Paxton from prosecuting election fraud cases without the permission of a local prosecutor. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 The case against the Russian soldiers marked the first time the US government has used a decades-old law aimed at prosecuting those who commit war crimes against American citizens. Russia – like the US, Ukraine and China – is not a member of the ICC. Rob Picheta, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 The Supreme Court is also poised to hear arguments in April in a case challenging the reach of a federal obstruction law that has been used to prosecute scores of defendants in connection to the Capitol attack, and which Trump is accused by the special counsel of violating. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 If an eighth-grader in California shared a nude photo of a classmate with friends without consent, the student could conceivably be prosecuted under state laws dealing with child pornography and disorderly conduct. Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Cybercriminals frequently reassemble after experiencing setbacks, particularly when their operators are located in countries whose law enforcement agencies are lax about prosecuting their crimes. Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 In addition, Justice Department policy generally prohibits prosecuting a sitting president. Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 Counties leading the charge on the new approach have found such cases tricky to prosecute. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prosecute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near prosecute

Cite this Entry

“Prosecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosecute. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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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