plea-bargain

American  

[plee-bahr-gin] / ˈpliˌbɑr gɪn /

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in plea bargaining.

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verb (used with object)

1. to deal with or achieve by plea bargaining.

   to plea-bargain a reduced sentence.

noun

1. the agreement arrived at as a result of plea bargaining.

plea bargain Cultural  

1. An agreement that permits a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of pleading not guilty to a more serious one. Plea bargaining is usually undertaken by a prosecutor to obtain important information from a defendant or to avoid a long and costly trial.

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Other Word Forms

• plea-bargainer noun

Etymology

Origin of plea-bargain

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Martinez Guzman, who authorities say entered the U.S. illegally at age 16, pleaded guilty to all the crimes last year after prosecutors announced they’d agreed to a plea-bargain agreement in October.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2022

Cartabia says she can speed up trials thanks to measures to encourage defendants to seek plea-bargain deals and the hiring of thousands of support staff in courtrooms.

From Reuters • Jul. 29, 2021

Mr Kabendera's release comes after he entered into a plea-bargain agreement with the prosecution.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2020

Innocence advocates say such cases raise questions about the plea-bargain system, which has grown to resolve about 95 percent of felony criminal cases in the United States.

From Washington Post • Jan. 4, 2018

Authorities are making plea-bargain offers and getting ready for more trials, but questions persist.

From Washington Times • Nov. 1, 2014

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