litigate

UK: /ˈlɪtɪgeɪt/ US: /ˈlɪtɪˌgeɪt/ ,(lit′i gāt′)

Inflections of 'litigate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

litigates

v 3rd person singular

litigating

v pres p

litigated

v past

litigated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

lit•i•gate /ˈlɪtɪˌgeɪt/   v., -gat•ed, -gat•ing. 

1. Law to make the subject of a lawsuit; contest at law:
   [~ + object] Who is litigating the case?
2. Law to carry on a lawsuit:
   [no object] They're still litigating.

lit•i•ga•tion /ˌlɪtɪˈgeɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] involved in litigation.

[countable] a lengthy litigation.

lit•i•ga•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lit•i•gate  (lit′i gāt′), v., -gat•ed, -gat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Law to make the subject of a lawsuit;
   contest at law.
2. [Archaic.] to dispute (a point, assertion, etc.).

v.i. 

3. Law to carry on a lawsuit.

• Latin lītigātus (past participle of lītigāre to go to law). See litigant, -ate¹
• 1605–15

lit′i•ga′tive, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

litigate / ˈlɪtɪˌɡeɪt/ verb

1. to bring or contest (a claim, action, etc) in a lawsuit
2. (intransitive) to engage in legal proceedings

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin lītigāre, from līt-, stem of līs lawsuit + agere to carry on

ˈlitiˌgator noun