prosecute

verb

pros·​e·​cute ˈprä-si-ˌkyüt 

prosecuted; prosecuting

transitive verb

1

: to follow to the end : pursue until finished

prosecute a war

2

: to engage in : perform

3

a

: to bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law

b

: to institute legal proceedings with reference to

prosecute a claim

intransitive verb

: to institute and carry on a legal suit or prosecution

prosecutable

ˌprä-sə-ˈkyü-tə-bəl 

adjective

Did you know?

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

• accomplish
• achieve
• bring off
• carry off
• carry out
• commit
• compass
• do
• execute
• follow through (with)
• fulfill
• fulfil
• make
• negotiate
• perform
• perpetrate
• pull off
• put through

Examples of prosecute in a Sentence

The store's owner agreed not to prosecute if the boy returned the stolen goods.

The case is being prosecuted by the assistant district attorney.

She criticized the government for the way it has prosecuted the war.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their requests come as the incoming president weighs issuing blanket pardons to many people who were convicted in connection to the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, as well as punishing those involved in prosecuting crimes related to it. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

The pardon attorney then typically asks the prosecuting U.S. Attorney for an opinion. —Bill Hamilton, Baltimore Sun, 17 Dec. 2024

Trump ups calls for Jan. 6 committee prosecutions amid Biden’s preemptive pardon rumors The report comes as Trump prepares to return to the Oval Office and has upped the rhetoric about investigating and prosecuting those involved on the former Jan. 6 committee. —Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 17 Dec. 2024

But a fuller explanation, drawn from corporate filings, interviews, and criminal court and bankruptcy records, shows how the DOJ, after years of aggressively prosecuting opioid companies, delayed for a decade a winning criminal case against Endo. —Bob Fernandez, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to pursue — more at pursue

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

prosecute

verb

pros·​e·​cute ˈpräs-i-ˌkyüt 

prosecuted; prosecuting

1

: to follow up to the end : keep at

prosecute a war

2

: to carry on a legal action against an accused person to prove his or her guilt

prosecutable

-ˌkyüt-ə-bəl 

adjective

Legal Definition

prosecute

verb

pros·​e·​cute ˈprä-si-ˌkyüt 

prosecuted; prosecuting

transitive verb

1

: to institute and carry forward legal action against for redress or especially punishment of a crime

2

: to institute and carry on a lawsuit with reference to

an action must be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest

—Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 17(a)

intransitive verb

: to institute and carry on a civil or criminal action

decided not to prosecute

prosecutable

ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-tə-bəl 

adjective

Etymology

Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi to pursue