English Reference
Verb

DNC

v.
C2 Proficiency US /ˈdiˌɛnˌsi/ dnc Law

v.to decide not to charge someone with a crime after they have been arrested. This is an old legal term that means the case will not go to court.

v.to enter a formal record that the prosecutor or plaintiff will not proceed with a legal action. Derived from the Latin 'nolle prosequi', it functions as a voluntary dismissal of charges.


SIMPLE

The prosecutor decided to DNC the case due to lack of evidence.

CONTEXTUAL

After the key witness changed her story, the district attorney chose to DNC the charges against the defendant.

COMPLEX

While the state had sufficient grounds for an indictment, the strategic decision to DNC allowed investigators to pursue a more significant target in the hierarchy of the criminal organization.

Usage

The verb is transitive and typically appears in legal or police contexts; often used as a shorthand for 'nolle prosequi'.

During a meeting on Saturday in Austin, Texas, Democratic National Committee (DNC) members voted to overhaul which states have the first say in picking the party’s presidential nominee.

Al Jazeera· 15 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Frequent
Updated