litigate

IPA/ˈlɪtɪɡeɪt/
KK[lˈɪtɪɡˌet]IPA/ˈlɪtɪɡeɪt/

litigate — verb

  • litigatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • litigateshe / she / it
  • litigatedpast simple
  • litigating-ing form

1. to take a legal disagreement to a court of law so that a judge or jury can make

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to take a legal disagreement to a court of law so that a judge or jury can make a formal decision about it

Example

The company decided to litigate the dispute rather than settle out of court.

litigate + noun phrase (dispute/case/claim)

Vikram worried that litigating against his former business partner would ruin their friendship.

litigate + against + person

Common collocations
  • litigate a case
  • litigate a claim
  • litigate a dispute
  • litigate a matter
  • litigate an issue
  • litigate against someone
  • litigate over property
  • litigate in court
Synonyms
  • sue

    Much more common in everyday English; focuses on starting legal action rather than carrying it through the full court process

  • take to court

    Informal everyday expression; less precise and does not specify the full litigation process

  • prosecute

    Used for criminal cases brought by the state, not for civil disputes between private parties

Antonyms
  • settle

    To resolve a disagreement without going to court, often through negotiation or payment

  • arbitrate

    To resolve a dispute through an independent third party outside the court system

Grammar Patterns

litigate + noun phrase

litigate + against + someone

litigate + over + something

Usage Note

A formal legal term. In everyday conversation, speakers often use 'sue' or 'take to court' instead. The object of litigation is typically the dispute itself (a case, claim, or matter), not the person you are suing — when mentioning the opponent, use 'litigate against [someone]'.

Common Mistakes

We will litigate them for the damages.
We will litigate against them for the damages.
When referring to the person you are taking to court, use 'litigate against' (intransitive pattern). The direct object should be the dispute or case itself: 'litigate a claim'.
They litigated the contract.' (when meaning they signed it)
They litigated the contract dispute.
'Litigate' refers to the legal process over a disagreement, not to simply handling a document.

Word family

  • litigation
    nounB2
  • litigator
    nounC1
  • litigant
    nounC1
  • litigious
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four expressions involve legal action, but they differ in scope and register. 'Litigate' is the broadest formal term — it covers the entire process of taking a dispute through court, from filing documents to the final judgment. 'Sue' is the most common everyday word; it focuses narrowly on starting a civil legal action, often for money. 'Take to court' is an informal, conversational alternative that explains the concept without legal jargon. 'Prosecute' is reserved for criminal cases brought by the government (the state prosecutes a defendant), so it should not be used for private disputes. 'Bring a lawsuit' is a neutral, semi-formal phrase similar to 'sue' but more explicit. For example: 'The tech company litigated the patent case for three years.' 'Her neighbour sued her over a barking dog.' 'The state prosecuted the man for theft.'

sue ↗take to court ↗prosecute ↗bring a lawsuit

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • take legal action
  • bring a lawsuit
  • file a case
  • go to court
  • seek legal remedy

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'lis' (genitive 'litis') meaning 'lawsuit, legal dispute' combined with 'agere' meaning 'to drive, to do, to act'. The compound verb 'litigare' meant 'to dispute, to go to law'. This passed into French as 'litigier' and entered English in the 1600s as a formal legal term. The modern core meaning — carrying a disagreement through the formal court process — has remained stable since the word entered English.