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Synonyms

sue

1 American  
[soo] / su /

verb (used with object)

sued, suing

  1. to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.

    to sue someone for damages.

  2. to woo or court.

  3. Obsolete. to make petition or appeal to.

verb (used without object)

sued, suing

  1. to institute legal proceedings, or bring suit.

    She threatened to sue.

  2. to make petition or appeal.

    to sue for peace.
    Synonyms:
    pray, plead, petition, beg

  3. to court a woman.

verb phrase

  1. sue out to make application for or apply for and obtain (a writ or the like) from a court of law.

Sue 2 American  
[soo, sy] / su, sü /

noun

  1. Eugène Marie Joseph Sue, 1804–57, French novelist.

  2. a female given name, form of Susan, Susanna, Susannah.

sue 1 British  
/ suː, sjuː /

verb

  1. to institute legal proceedings (against)

  2. to make suppliant requests of (someone for something)

  3. archaic to pay court (to)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Sue 2 British  
/ sy /

noun

  1. Eugène (øʒɛn). original name Marie-Joseph Sue. 1804–57, French novelist, whose works, notably Les mystères de Paris (1842–43) and Le juif errant (1844–45), were among the first to reflect the impact of the industrial revolution on France

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • suer noun
  • unsued adjective

Etymology

Origin of sue

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English suen, siwen, from Old French sivre, from unattested Vulgar Latin sequere “to follow,” for Latin sequī

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Now one of those who was sued has launched a new business, aiming to carry on Clarity's social mission in a new way.

From BBC

The California city of San Francisco in December sued ten leading food makers over their ultra-processed products, accusing the industry's giants of knowingly selling foods that have been linked to a rise in serious diseases.

From BBC

His "primary objective" in suing Greenpeace, he said in interviews, was not just financial compensation but to "send a message."

From Barron's

Wings debuted with “Wild Life” in December 1971, less than 12 months after McCartney sued the rest of the Fab Four to dissolve their contractual partnership.

From The Wall Street Journal

Should Hegseth make good on either threat, Anthropic could in theory sue the Defence Department or individuals working within the agency.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.