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
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
Examples of litigation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The review will also examine ongoing litigation with the county over the city’s $18 million unpaid water debt and identify quick, cost-effective solutions for residents.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Joshua Turner, who was Idaho’s chief of constitutional litigation and policy, represented the state in front of the Supreme Court.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump’s policy remains on hold based on other litigation.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Litigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litigation. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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