prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər How to pronounce prosecutor (audio)
Synonyms of prosecutornext
1
: a person who institutes a prosecution before a court
2
: prosecuting attorney

Examples of prosecutor in a Sentence

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.
Since voters returned Worrell to office in 2024, Uthmeier has repeatedly accused her of neglecting her duties as a prosecutor. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026 She’s hired a former Georgia Supreme Court chief justice as a special prosecutor to get the state’s appellate courts to weigh in. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Linares-Rea faces up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and two years for each identity theft count, prosecutors said. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 One investigator’s realization that Farinacci’s distinctive T-shirt was noted in a fire investigation at Riverside State Park last August led to the first charge against him related to the Old Trails Fire, prosecutors say. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prosecutor

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prosecutor was in 1593

Rhymes for prosecutor

See All Rhymes for prosecutor

Browse Nearby Words

prosecution
prosecutor
prosecutorial
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Cite this Entry

“Prosecutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosecutor. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prosecutor

noun
pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈpräs-i-ˌkyüt-ər How to pronounce prosecutor (audio)
: a person (as a district attorney) who prosecutes especially a criminal case as lawyer for the state

Legal Definition

prosecutor

noun
pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər How to pronounce prosecutor (audio)
1
: a person who institutes a prosecution (as by making an affidavit or complaint charging the defendant)
2
: a government attorney who presents the state's case against the defendant in a criminal prosecution
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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