litigants

noun

plural of litigant
as in defendants
law someone who brings a legal action against another person or against whom a legal action is brought Both litigants chose to represent themselves in court.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of litigants Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has gained a conservative supermajority with a record of siding with conservative religious litigants who argue that LGBTQ protections violate their First Amendment rights. — Mark Satta, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 But attorney fees, payments to chief litigants and other expenses will be distributed first. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 Family members, longtime friends, former colleagues and even litigants discuss the woman behind the famous judicial robe. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The litigants claim the companies intentionally designed their platforms to keep young users hooked. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026 Both litigants laid out their theories, in separate appearances, about the motivations of Bonta’s lawsuit, supported by 11 other states, after a federal judge set a trial date for next March. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The request was filed under Section 1782, a federal statute that allows litigants in foreign proceedings to obtain evidence from people or companies located in the United States. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 31 July 2026 Attorneys for the litigants, Sunny Osment and David Pina, said the judicial branch failed to serve as a check on Caruso. — Jake Shore, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 As more litigants represent themselves in court, judges must also ensure proceedings remain accessible while maintaining strict neutrality. — Schnelle Tonge, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for litigants
  1. defendants
  2. parties
  3. plaintiffs
Noun
  • Prosecutors say the defendants used specialized equipment and drones to reach high locations and record their activities.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Such actions are scaring people away from coming to court, whether as witnesses, defendants or observers, Bonta said, and amount to a blatant abuse of power.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of defendants
Noun
  • Talarico outlined ways both parties could come together to find solutions.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Their presence has fueled social tensions in Ceuta and become a political issue across Spain, where opposition parties hope to use migration concerns to unseat the progressive government in next month's elections.
    — JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of parties
Noun
  • Attorneys for the plaintiffs in both cases argue that Congress could ban a broad array of activities inside private homes — including cooking, gardening and remote work — under the government’s interpretation of the 19th century law.
    — Michael Kunzelman, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The government responded to her filing and courtroom outburst by asking that she be removed from the case citing hostility toward the government and favoritism for the plaintiffs.
    — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of plaintiffs

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Cite this Entry

“Litigants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/litigants. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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