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 Authorities intend to prosecute the hosts of the parties and the property owners, officials said Monday. Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 8 July 2024 Some police departments don’t take financial scams as seriously as other crime and victims wind up discouraged and demoralized, according to Paul Greenwood, who spent 22 years prosecuting elder financial abuse cases in San Diego. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 7 July 2024 The Savannah Morning News, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported this as one of the largest human trafficking cases ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 6 July 2024 On Tuesday, the government proposed legislation that will allow authorities to prosecute offenders for money laundering without showing a direct link between the illicit gains and the original crime. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for prosecute 

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 15 Jul. 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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