prosecution

prosecution — noun

1. the formal legal process of charging someone with a crime and taking them to cou

1.nounB2
Definition

the formal legal process of charging someone with a crime and taking them to court, or the state of being charged in this way

Example

The toy manufacturer now faces prosecution for selling unsafe products.

faces prosecution for [offence]

Prosecution of the fraud case lasted nearly three years in federal court.

prosecution of [type of case] + duration

Common collocations
  • face prosecution
  • avoid prosecution
  • bring a prosecution
  • criminal prosecution
  • threat of prosecution
  • prosecution for
Synonyms
  • indictment

    more specific — refers to the formal accusation, not the full legal process

  • legal proceedings

    broader — covers both civil and criminal cases

  • trial

    narrower — refers only to the court hearing stage

Antonyms
  • defense

    the side that argues against the charges

Grammar Patterns

prosecution + for + [offence]

prosecution + of + [case/defendant]

Usage Note

Often uncountable; when countable it refers to a specific case (e.g. 'several prosecutions were brought'). The verb prosecute is commonly used with the same grammatical patterns.

Common Mistakes

He faced prosecution of tax evasion.
He faced prosecution for tax evasion.
the offence follows the preposition 'for', not 'of'.
The prosecution of the suspect lasted two hours.' (when referring to questioning)
The questioning of the suspect lasted two hours.
'prosecution' refers to the whole legal process, not a single interrogation.

2. the group of lawyers and officials who present the case against someone charged

2.nounB2
Definition

the group of lawyers and officials who present the case against someone charged with a crime during legal proceedings

Example

The prosecution called Yuki to the stand as its key witness.

the prosecution calls [person] as witness

Shirin was questioned by the prosecution for over two hours.

Common collocations
  • the prosecution
  • for the prosecution
  • by the prosecution
  • prosecution witness
  • prosecution case
  • prosecution lawyer
Synonyms
  • prosecutor

    refers to a single lawyer, not the whole team

  • the state

    broader — includes all government officials involved, not just the legal team

  • the crown

    used in British and Commonwealth legal systems for the same role

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the prosecution + [verb]

for the prosecution

by the prosecution

Usage Note

Used with a singular verb in formal writing (e.g. 'the prosecution has argued'), but plural agreement ('the prosecution have argued') is common in British English when the group is seen as individuals.

Common Mistakes

The prosecution are a lawyer named Ms. Rivera.
The lead prosecutor is a lawyer named Ms. Rivera.
'prosecution' refers to the team, not an individual lawyer.

3. the act of carrying out or continuing with a planned course of action, especiall

3.nounC1
Definition

the act of carrying out or continuing with a planned course of action, especially a war, military campaign, or large-scale project

Example

The general was responsible for the prosecution of the entire military campaign.

prosecution of [military campaign]

Prosecution of the research programme continued despite severe budget cuts.

Common collocations
  • prosecution of the war
  • prosecution of a campaign
  • prosecution of a policy
Synonyms
  • pursuit

    broader in meaning, less formal, and can apply to any goal

  • execution

    emphasises completing each step of a plan rather than continuing an existing course

  • conduct

    focuses on how an activity is managed rather than the act of continuing it

Grammar Patterns

prosecution + of + [plan/war/campaign]

Usage Note

This formal sense is uncommon in everyday speech but appears in historical, military, and official writing. Do not confuse with sense 1 — here there is no suggestion of a crime or legal process.

Common Mistakes

The doctor's prosecution of the surgery went well.
The doctor's performance of the surgery went well.
this sense is limited to planned activities like wars, campaigns, and policies, not routine professional tasks.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Prosecution specifically refers to the criminal legal process in which the government charges someone with breaking the law. An indictment is one step within that process — a formal written charge issued by a grand jury before the case goes to trial. Litigation is broader and covers any legal dispute, including civil matters such as contract disagreements or property disputes, which prosecution does not. Trial is narrower than prosecution: it describes only the courtroom hearing where evidence is presented, whereas prosecution covers the entire process from the initial charge to the final verdict. For example: 'The prosecution lasted two years' implies the whole legal process, while 'The trial lasted two weeks' means only the courtroom stage.

prosecution ↗indictment ↗litigation ↗trial ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • threat of prosecution
  • risk of prosecution
  • immunity from prosecution

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Prosecution comes from Latin 'prosecutio', meaning 'a following after or pursuing', from 'prosequi' (pro- 'forward' + sequi 'to follow'). It entered English through Anglo-French in the 1400s, initially with the general meaning of 'carrying out' or 'pursuing' something, which survives in sense 3 today. By the 1500s it had developed the specific legal meaning of pursuing someone through the courts, which is now its dominant use.