ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sues

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsuz// UK //sˈuːz// sues

v. takes legal action against someone in court to get money or a specific result because they did something wrong to you.

v. initiates legal proceedings against a person or institution, typically to seek financial compensation for a perceived wrong or injury. Third-person singular present form of 'sue'.


SIMPLE

She sues the company for breaking her contract.

CONTEXTUAL

The homeowner sues the construction firm after discovering significant structural damage caused by their negligence.

COMPLEX

In many jurisdictions, an individual only sues for defamation if they can prove that the published statement caused actual harm to their professional reputation or personal livelihood.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, often followed by 'for' to indicate the reason.

Pitfall

he sues about the accidenthe sues for the accidentThe verb 'sue' takes the preposition 'for' to indicate the cause of the legal action, not 'about'.

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