pending trial

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pending trial" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a situation where a legal case is awaiting a trial or court hearing. Example: "The defendant remains in custody pending trial, as the court has not yet set a date for the proceedings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

pending trial.

The New York Times

He was freed pending trial.

The New York Times

He was released pending trial.

The New York Times

Detective Payano was released pending trial.

The New York Times

All three have been released pending trial.

The New York Times

He is in jail pending trial.

The New York Times

Six have been released, pending trial.

The New York Times

The other defendants are free pending trial.

The New York Times

Mr. Fu has been free pending trial.

The New York Times

He was held pending trial in the Norfolk city jail.

Cornell University

The court ordered the three arrested pending trial.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pending trial" to clearly indicate that a situation, decision, or status is temporary and will be resolved or affected by the outcome of a future trial. This is especially relevant in legal and journalistic writing.

Common error

Avoid using "pending trial" when the trial has already concluded. Ensure that the trial is still an upcoming event, not a past one. Using it incorrectly can misrepresent the current status of a legal case.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pending trial" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, indicating that the noun's state or status is contingent on the outcome of a future trial. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is grammatically sound. Examples in Ludwig show it describing the state of a person, a decision, or a situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pending trial" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that indicates a situation is awaiting a trial or court hearing. As Ludwig AI states, its usage is sound. Predominantly found in News & Media and Academic contexts, the phrase conveys a sense of temporality and contingency. When writing, ensure that the trial is an upcoming event, not a past one, and consider alternatives like "awaiting trial" or "before trial" depending on the specific context. The phrase's consistent presence across authoritative sources underscores its reliability and appropriateness for formal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awaiting trial

This alternative directly replaces "pending" with "awaiting", maintaining the same meaning but with slightly different wording.

before trial

This phrase emphasizes the temporal aspect, highlighting that something is happening before the trial commences.

until the trial

This alternative specifies that the situation will continue up to the point of the trial.

subject to trial

This phrase indicates that the situation or decision is conditional on the outcome of the trial.

while awaiting adjudication

This is a more formal alternative, replacing "trial" with "adjudication", suitable for legal contexts.

prior to adjudication

This highlights that the specified action occurs before the legal decision or judgment.

until the court date

This alternative specifies a specific point in time, referencing a specific court appearance.

during pre-trial proceedings

This alternative focuses on the period of legal actions and investigations before the actual trial.

in pretrial detention

This phrase describes the state of being held in custody before the trial takes place.

under indictment

This alternative emphasizes the formal accusation phase of the legal process.

FAQs

How to use "pending trial" in a sentence?

You can use "pending trial" to indicate a temporary state or action that is subject to the outcome of a future trial. For example: "The defendant was released on bail "pending trial"."

What can I say instead of "pending trial"?

You can use alternatives like "awaiting trial", "before trial", or "subject to trial" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "pending trial" or "after the trial"?

"Pending trial" refers to the period before the trial occurs, while "after the trial" refers to the period following the trial. The correct phrase depends on the timeline you're referencing.

What's the difference between "pending trial" and "under investigation"?

"Under investigation" describes the period when authorities are gathering information about a potential crime. "Pending trial" describes the period after formal charges have been filed and a trial is scheduled but has not yet occurred.