mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l How to pronounce mistrial (audio)
: a trial that has no legal effect with regard to one or more of the charges brought against the defendant because of some serious error or prejudicial misconduct in the proceedings or a hung jury

Examples of mistrial in a Sentence

The judge declared a mistrial.
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.
The man accused of sparking the Palisades Fire will be tried again this fall after his first federal arson case ended in a mistrial in June. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 Johnson County District Attorney Tim Good indicated days after the mistrial that his office will prosecute at least some of the charges again at a new trial. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 Prosecutors didn’t call George Jones to the stand in Rashaun Jones’ original trial, which ended in a mistrial in March after a six-person jury said it was deadlocked. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 From a human trafficking sweep, to a mistrial in the K Street mass shooting case, to a look at a state worker Reddit community, here’s a rundown of the top Sacramento stories on July 21. — Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mistrial

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mistrial was in 1628

Rhymes for mistrial

See All Rhymes for mistrial

Browse Nearby Words

mistress-ship
mistrial
mistrust
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mistrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistrial. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mistrial

noun
mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l How to pronounce mistrial (audio)
: a trial that is cancelled because of an error in the proceedings

Legal Definition

mistrial

noun
mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī-əl How to pronounce mistrial (audio)
: a trial that terminates without a verdict because of error, necessity, prejudicial misconduct, or a hung jury see also manifest necessity compare dismissal sense 2, trial de novo

More from Merriam-Webster on mistrial

Nglish: Translation of mistrial for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mistrial

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