lawsuit

noun

ˈlȯ-ˌsüt How to pronounce lawsuit (audio)
Definition of lawsuitnext
as in suit
a court case for enforcing a right or claim the homeowner filed a lawsuit against the moving company that was refusing to be held responsible for damaging her furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lawsuit If history is any guide, before the restrictions go into effect, the SAFE for Kids Act may have to withstand lawsuits, similar to those filed in other states that have aimed to crack down on social media. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026 On July 13, the states filed a lawsuit alleging that the merger would combine two of Hollywood’s top five studios, which would lead to higher prices, less movies in theaters and a decrease in the variety and quality of content. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2026 In the seminal antitrust lawsuits brought by Ed O’Bannon, Shawne Alston and Grant House, more than a year — and sometimes four years— passed before certification. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 Aug. 2026 According to reporting from Court Watch, in January, the Pentagon’s Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, Keith Bass, filed a defamation lawsuit against journalist Jeff Stein, who runs the Substack newsletter Spy Talk. — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lawsuit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawsuit
  1. suit
  2. complaint
  3. proceeding
  4. litigation
Noun
  • The suit alleges violations of her First Amendment rights and that she was discriminated against because of her Muslim religion.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
  • The bank argued that changes to her team and duties were part of a broader business decision to consolidate services, according to Wells Fargo’s March 2025 response to the suit.
    — Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of suit
Noun
  • The Star obtained a copy of the warrant and criminal complaint.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • The feud has gotten personal and heated recently, but the complaints date back years.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of complaint
Noun
  • At the same time, the data shows, courts have severely cut the length of time many people are getting to prepare for complex immigration proceedings, from about six months to often just a little more than a month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The company's clashes with unions date back years, with battles over employment status, arbitration proceedings, working conditions, and more rendering it a marquee villain in the eyes of labor advocates.
    — Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of proceeding
Noun
  • That may mean engaging legal counsel and exploring litigation.
    — Brian Taylor, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • The State Personnel Board and CDCR declined to comment on pending litigation.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of litigation

Browse Nearby Words

laws
lawsuit
lawsuits
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lawsuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawsuit. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lawsuit

Nglish: Translation of lawsuit for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All