petition
gb/pətˈɪʃən/ us/pətˈɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 5400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
formal written request to authority
A written request that people sign to ask the government or another group in power to do or change something.
Usage pattern:
to sign a petition (about/against [something])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "petition" with "competition" because of similar sounds. A petition is a written request to people in power, while a competition is a contest. Another mistake is using "petition" as a verb in this pattern, e.g. *"I petitioned a petition"*; instead say "I signed a petition" or "I started a petition".
Synonyms
appeal (A general word for a serious request, not always written or signed by many people.)
Antonyms
order (An instruction given with authority, the opposite of politely asking for action.)
Collocations
sign a petition
|launch a petition
|online petition
|submit a petition
|circulate a petition
|petition drive
Themes
politics
|society
|law
|communication
Examples
- Over 50,000 people signed an online petition calling for stricter gun laws.
- The students started a petition to keep the library open later at night.
- Local residents submitted a petition to the city council to stop the new road project.
- An employee passed around a petition demanding better safety equipment at the factory.
- The petition was delivered to the prime minister’s office on Monday.
Learner examples
- I signed a petition to protect the old trees in our park.
- They started a petition to change the school rules.
- We sent a petition to the mayor about the dirty water.
- Many parents wrote their names on the petition.
- The petition asked the company to pay workers more money.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
formally ask authority for something
To ask a person or group in power in a serious, official way to do or change something, often in writing.
Usage pattern:
to petition [authority] (to [verb] / for [something])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"petition for someone"* when they mean asking a person. In English you usually "petition someone for something" (e.g. "They petitioned the government for help") or "petition someone to do something" (e.g. "They petitioned the government to help").
Synonyms
appeal (Less formal and more emotional; can be spoken or written and does not always involve official procedures.)
Antonyms
order (To tell someone to do something with authority, instead of respectfully asking them.)
Collocations
petition the government
|petition the authorities
|petition the court
|petition Congress
|petition for change
|petition for release
Themes
politics
|society
|law
|communication
Examples
- The villagers plan to petition the government to repair the damaged bridge.
- Human rights groups are petitioning the president for the activist’s release.
- Parents have petitioned the school board to reduce class sizes.
- Thousands of citizens petitioned the authorities to rethink the new tax law.
- She is petitioning the city council to allow street vendors in the neighborhood.
Learner examples
- They will petition the mayor to fix the road.
- We are petitioning the company for better working conditions.
- The students petitioned the university to lower the fees.
- He wants to petition the government for a visa.
- Many workers petitioned the boss to give them more pay.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
formal legal request to a court
A written paper that a lawyer or person gives to a court to ask for a legal action or decision.
Usage pattern:
a petition for [legal action]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this legal sense is the same as a general public petition. A legal petition is a formal court document in a legal case, not a paper that many people in the public sign.
Synonyms
application (General legal term for a written request to a court; does not always carry the same formal label as "petition" in specific procedures.)
Antonyms
judgment (The court’s final decision, which is the outcome of a petition rather than a request for one.)
Collocations
divorce petition
|bankruptcy petition
|file a petition
|petition for review
|petition for custody
|petition for certiorari
Themes
law
|business
Examples
- The company filed a bankruptcy petition after months of heavy losses.
- She submitted a petition for divorce in the family court.
- The lawyers prepared a petition for review of the earlier decision.
- The immigration judge denied his asylum petition.
- Their petition for custody was granted by the court.
Learner examples
- He signed the divorce petition at the lawyer’s office.
- The lawyer wrote a petition for the man.
- They filed a petition for a new trial.
- The court read the petition and asked some questions.
- Her petition for more time was accepted by the judge.
Verb
technical
C1
action
4
submit formal request to a court
To ask a court in an official way to do something in a legal case by giving it a written paper.
Usage pattern:
to petition the court (for [something] / to [verb])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "petition" without an object in legal contexts, as in *"He petitioned for"* without saying who is being petitioned. In legal English, you almost always say "petition the court" or name the legal body that receives the petition.
Synonyms
file (Means to officially submit documents; it does not itself mean "request" but is the usual action taken to begin a legal petition.)
Antonyms
dismiss (What a court does when it refuses to consider a petition, the opposite result of a successful petitioning action.)
Collocations
petition the court
|petition the judge
|petition for bankruptcy
|petition for custody
|petition for reinstatement
|petition for review
Themes
law
|business
Examples
- The company plans to petition the court for bankruptcy protection.
- Her lawyer will petition the judge to reduce the sentence.
- They are petitioning the court to reopen the case after new evidence emerged.
- The union has petitioned the labor board to review the decision.
- He petitioned the court for full custody of his children.
Learner examples
- The lawyer will petition the court for more time.
- They want to petition the judge to change the order.
- The company decided to petition for bankruptcy.
- He is petitioning the court to see his children more.
- Their lawyer petitioned the court to hear the case again.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
5
request to God in prayer
In religion, words in a prayer that ask God for help or for something to happen.
Usage pattern:
a petition to God (for [something])
Synonyms
prayer (Broader term for speaking to God; not all prayers are petitions, since some express thanks or praise instead of requests.)
Antonyms
praise (A type of prayer that expresses admiration rather than asking for something.)
Collocations
prayer of petition
|petitions to God
|personal petitions
|offer petitions
|silent petitions
Themes
religion
|spirituality
Examples
- The service included a time for personal petitions and silent prayer.
- Her daily petitions focused on the health of her family.
- The priest invited the congregation to offer petitions for peace.
- Their petitions to God were filled with hope and fear.
- He believes that sincere petitions are always heard, even if they are not answered in the way we expect.
Learner examples
- She makes a petition to God every night.
- The man’s petition in his prayer was for peace.
- They wrote their petitions on small cards and placed them at the altar.
- The pastor asked people to share their petitions.
- Many people bring personal petitions to the church service.
Grammar
Dictionary form
petition
IPA
GB/pətˈɪʃən/
US/pətˈɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
pe - ti - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ti)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: petition
- Plural: petitions
Verb
- Base: petition
- 3rd Person Singular: petitions
- Present Participle: petitioning
- Past: petitioned
Word family
Forms
petitions
noun
petitioning
verb
petitioned
verb
Core family
petitioner
noun C1
Advanced or less common
petitionary
adjective
Expressions
file a petition
1/fˈaɪl ə pətˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
officially submit a petition
To officially give a petition to a court or other authority.
Examples
- The company filed a petition for bankruptcy on Monday.
- He filed a petition asking the court to review his case.
launch a petition
1/lˈɔnt͡ʃ ə pətˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
start a new petition
To start a new petition and begin asking people to sign it.
Examples
- Parents have launched a petition to keep the playground open.
- The group plans to launch a petition next week to oppose the law.
online petition
1/ˈɔnlˌaɪn pətˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
internet-based public petition
A petition on a website that people can read and sign on the internet.
Examples
- She started an online petition to stop the new airport project.
- The online petition gathered 200,000 signatures in three days.
petition against
1/pətˈɪʃən əɡˈɛnst/
phrasal verb
formal
formally oppose something by petition
To formally ask an authority not to do something or to stop something.
Examples
- Residents are petitioning against the construction of a new highway.
- Students petitioned against the closure of the art department.
petition for
1/pətˈɪʃən fɚ/
phrasal verb
formal
formally ask for something
To formally ask an authority to give you something or to change something.
Examples
- The prisoners petitioned for better living conditions.
- Several groups are petitioning for stronger environmental laws.
petition the court
1/pətˈɪʃən ðə kˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
technical
formally ask a court for action
To formally ask a court to do something in a legal case.
Examples
- Her lawyer will petition the court to reduce the fine.
- They plan to petition the court for a new hearing.
sign a petition
1/sˈaɪn ə pətˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
write your name on a petition
To write your name on a written request to show that you agree with it.
Examples
- Have you signed the petition to save the community center?
- Hundreds of employees signed a petition demanding better safety rules.