class action

noun

1. a legal proceeding in which persons representing interests common to a large group participate as representatives of the group or class.

class action

noun

1. law a legal action undertaken by one or more people representing the interests of a large group of people with the same grievance

Other Words From

• class-ac·tion [klas, -, ak, -sh, uh, n, klahs, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of class action¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

It is another example of the "growing tide of large class actions against Big Tech" which has "operated without sufficient constraint", Toby Starr from legal firm Humphries Kerstetter told the BBC.

From BBC

Four sued the county in federal court in 2013, in what would become a class action, claiming the department was not providing adequate care.

From Los Angeles Times

According to a proposed class action lawsuit filed in Brooklyn on Monday, Subway ads for its Steak & Cheese sandwiches contain at least three times more meat than what customers receive in stores, Reuters reported.

From Salon

The unprecedented demand for her Eras tour led jilted Swifties to file a class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster and resulted in a congressional inquiry into the ticketing giant’s parent company, Live Nation.

From Los Angeles Times

He added that this is not a class action lawsuit and that there will be individual cases filed for each alleged victim.

From BBC