litigation
noun
lit·i·ga·tion
ˌli-tə-ˈgā-shən 
plural litigations
: the act, process, or practice of settling a dispute in a court of law : the act or process of litigating
an issue that has been in litigation for years
an attorney who specializes in the litigation of property disputes
The American Judicial System generally limits the filing of lawsuits to individuals with a personal stake in the litigation, but there are instances when litigants cannot themselves prosecute an action.—
Jonathan Mahler
Jonathan Mahler
also
: a legal action or proceeding (such as a lawsuit)
"You can't realize how much it costs to run one of these litigations. To get a battery of lawyers into a courtroom and do all the planning … and so on costs $500,000." —Gordon Gould
Gordon Gould Examples of litigation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In November 2017, as the litigation went on, the results of the clinical trial that the charity helped fund were published.
—Robin Fields, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
The Illinois attorney general’s office also declined to comment due to the ongoing litigation.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025
Her legal representation has since pulled its Texas deposition request, apparently focusing efforts on its New York litigation, where the case is now heading toward a 2026 federal trial, and on Feb. 12 subpoenaed Wallace as part of the discovery process.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Trump’s order also called on the Department of Justice to vigorously pursue litigation and legislation to oppose the practice.
—Lea Skene, Twin Cities, 13 Feb. 2025
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Robin Fields, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
The Illinois attorney general’s office also declined to comment due to the ongoing litigation.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025
Her legal representation has since pulled its Texas deposition request, apparently focusing efforts on its New York litigation, where the case is now heading toward a 2026 federal trial, and on Feb. 12 subpoenaed Wallace as part of the discovery process.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Trump’s order also called on the Department of Justice to vigorously pursue litigation and legislation to oppose the practice.
—Lea Skene, Twin Cities, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for litigation
Dictionary Entries Near litigation
Cite this Entry
“Litigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litigation. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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