prosecute
verb
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of prosecute in a Sentence
Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024
Unable to fully shift his thinking let alone his broader strategy, Trump seems determined to keep litigating perceived slights against his legacy and prosecuting the foibles of Biden.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 13 Aug. 2024
Corrections & clarifications: This article was updated to correct the prosecuting office overseeing Denise Hatch's case.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Aug. 2024
Reasons to dig deeper Some critics of the sheriff's office say the rush to fire and prosecute Grayson risks allowing the law enforcement and area political leaders to avoid accountability for systemic failures in hiring, training and operations.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near prosecute
Cite this Entry
“Prosecute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosecute. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prosecute
verb
Legal Definition
prosecute
verb
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 17(a)Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to pursue
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