prosecution to fail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prosecution to fail" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey a situation where a legal case does not succeed, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "The evidence presented was insufficient, leading to the prosecution to fail in securing a conviction."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In an interview on Friday night, President Saakashvili said he expected the prosecution to fail.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Lord Brittan died some months after lawyers had concluded the case was too weak to warrant prosecution, but failed to inform the cancer-stricken peer.

Independent

Indeed, the Social Security Administration calls the payroll taxes "contributions," although employers are subject to penalties and even prosecution if they fail to deliver the "contributions" on time and in the legally prescribed amounts.

The New York Times

In the most puzzling and controversial section of her judgment, Judge Masipa said the athlete's intention was to shoot, not to kill, and the prosecution had failed to establish that he "accepted the possibility of killing someone".

Independent

Parents will face prosecution if they fail to prevent their daughters from being subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) under new legislation.

Independent

They include a new legal duty on parents to protect their daughters from mutilation, or face prosecution if they fail to do so.

The Guardian

But the judge, Lynda Van Davis, found that the prosecution had failed to turn over to the defense two key pieces of evidence for the trial of Michael Anderson.

The New York Times

Rhia Weston of the CTC cycling charity, said, "The only reason Emma Way was caught was because she tweeted about the incident, many other hit and runs end in no prosecution because police fail to trace the driver.

Independent

In 1990, a judge dismissed all the charges against him on the basis that the prosecution had failed to turn over evidence to the defense.

The New York Times

As former federal prosecutors told the New York Times, the high burden of proof required by federal Civil Rights investigations much higher than that required by the local prosecution that failed to indict Pantaleo is difficult to meet.

Vice

And two years of prosecution have failed to produce one single witness to testify that the former Yugoslav president ordered any attacks on Albanian civilians in the province.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the grammatically questionable phrase "prosecution to fail", opt for clearer and more accepted alternatives such as "prosecution collapses" or "prosecution is unsuccessful" to maintain credibility and clarity in legal or journalistic contexts.

Common error

Avoid using infinitive phrases like "prosecution to fail" where a more direct verb construction is appropriate. Using a correct verb form, such as "the prosecution failed", provides better grammatical clarity and avoids potential confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prosecution to fail" functions as an infinitive phrase, intended to express a future expectation or possibility. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's not grammatically correct in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "prosecution to fail" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used in standard English. Ludwig AI suggests avoiding it in favor of more established alternatives such as "prosecution fails", "prosecution collapses", or "prosecution is unsuccessful". While the intent is to convey an expectation of a failed legal case, the unconventional phrasing undermines clarity and professionalism. When writing about legal matters, prioritize grammatical correctness and established vocabulary to ensure your message is accurately and effectively conveyed. News sources appear to be the primary source where this may be found, so journalistic contexts should pay particular attention to accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prosecution collapses

Replaces "fail" with "collapses", indicating a sudden and complete failure of the prosecution's case.

prosecution falters

Substitutes "fail" with "falters", suggesting a weakening or unsteady progress of the prosecution.

prosecution is unsuccessful

Replaces the infinitive with a more formal and direct statement of the prosecution's lack of success.

prosecution does not succeed

Similar to "is unsuccessful" but uses a different phrasing to convey the same meaning.

prosecution's case falls apart

Emphasizes the disintegration of the prosecution's arguments and evidence.

prosecution is defeated

Implies a conclusive loss for the prosecution.

prosecution's efforts are in vain

Highlights the futility of the prosecution's attempts to secure a conviction.

prosecution's arguments are rejected

Focuses on the rejection of the prosecution's reasoning by the court or jury.

prosecution's evidence is insufficient

Indicates that the prosecution's evidence is inadequate to prove the case.

prosecution cannot secure a conviction

States directly that the prosecution is unable to obtain a guilty verdict.

FAQs

What are some better ways to say "prosecution to fail"?

Alternatives include "prosecution collapses", "prosecution is unsuccessful", or "prosecution fails". These options offer clearer and more grammatically sound ways to express the same idea.

Is "prosecution to fail" grammatically correct?

No, "prosecution to fail" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use phrases like "the prosecution failed" or "the prosecution will fail".

How can I use "prosecution fails" in a sentence?

Example: "The judge expects the "prosecution to fail" because of a lack of evidence." However, remember that Ludwig AI advises using a different phrasing, for example: "The prosecution failed to prove its case."

What's the difference between "prosecution to fail" and "prosecution fails"?

"Prosecution fails" is a simple present tense statement that the prosecution is currently failing. "Prosecution to fail" is an infinitive phrase which is grammatically incorrect, and implies a future expectation, but it's unconventional and should be avoided.