press charges

idiom

: to take legal action against someone : to officially accuse someone of a crime

He was caught shoplifting, but the store owner didn't press charges.

Examples of press charges in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

According to Houston Police, the investigation has been turned over to the FBI and Frontier Airlines have declined to press charges. —

Graeme Taskerud, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2025 The district attorney later declined to press charges, citing a lack of evidence. —

Liza Esquibias, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025 Officers spoke to the passenger and Frontier Airlines declined to press charges. —

Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025 Zoom in: Harris County grand jurors have twice declined to press charges of criminally negligent homicide against drivers accused by police of failing to yield right-of-way and killing someone in a crosswalk since the Lisa Torry Smith Act took effect in September 2021, according to an Axios review. —

Jay R. Jordan, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for press charges

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“Press charges.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/press%20charges. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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