litigate

verb

lit·​i·​gate ˈli-tə-ˌgāt How to pronounce litigate (audio)
litigated; litigating

intransitive verb

: to carry on a legal contest by judicial (see judicial sense 1a) process
only states can litigate before this courtR. H. Heindel

transitive verb

1
: to decide and settle in a court of law
litigate a claim
2
archaic : dispute
litigable adjective

Examples of litigate in a Sentence

They agree to litigate all disputes in this court. The company's unwillingness to make a deal increased her desire to litigate.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Another defense is that the claims have already been litigated and are thus barred by res judicata and collateral estoppel. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2024 This language sends a positive signal to anyone litigating an FBAR penalty case outside of the First Circuit. Robert Goulder, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 The issue will continue to be litigated in the lower courts, although the Justice Department’s stance could change if former President Donald Trump wins the November election. Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024 Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a court petition soon in the days after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability—a routine procedure for cases litigated under U.S. maritime law. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for litigate 

Word History

Etymology

Latin litigatus, past participle of litigare, from lit-, lis lawsuit + agere to drive — more at agent

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of litigate was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near litigate

Cite this Entry

“Litigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litigate. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

litigate

verb
lit·​i·​gate ˈlit-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce litigate (audio)
litigated; litigating
: to carry on a lawsuit
litigation noun
litigator noun

Legal Definition

litigate

verb
lit·​i·​gate ˈli-tə-ˌgāt How to pronounce litigate (audio)
litigated; litigating

intransitive verb

: to seek resolution of a legal contest by judicial process
chose to litigate rather than settle

transitive verb

: to make the subject of a suit
litigate a claim
broadly : to contest or resolve in court
litigate an insanity defense
litigable adjective
litigation noun
litigational
-shə-nəl
adjective
litigatory
ˈli-tə-gə-ˌtōr-ē
adjective
Etymology

Latin litigatus, past participle of litigare, from lit-, lis lawsuit + agere to drive

More from Merriam-Webster on litigate

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!