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accuse
[ uh-kyooz ]
verb (used with object)
- to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed by of ):
He accused him of murder.
Synonyms: impeach, incriminate, indict, arraign
Antonyms: exonerate
- to find fault with; blame.
Antonyms: exonerate
verb (used without object)
- to make an accusation.
accuse
/ əˈkjuːz /
verb
- to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame
Derived Forms
- acˈcusing, adjective
- acˈcuser, noun
- acˈcusingly, adverb
Other Words From
- ac·cusa·ble adjective
- ac·cusa·bly adverb
- ac·cusant noun
- ac·cusing·ly adverb
- inter·ac·cuse verb (used with object) interaccused interaccusing
- nonac·cusing adjective
- preac·cuse verb (used with object) preaccused preaccusing
- reac·cuse verb (used with object) reaccused reaccusing
- self-ac·cusing adjective
- unac·cusa·ble adjective
- unac·cusing adjective
- unac·cusing·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of accuse1
Example Sentences
When a case goes to trial, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty.
Daoud, who moved to Paris in 2020 and took French nationality, is a controversial figure in Algeria, where he is accused by some of selling out to the former colonial power.
Netanyahu and many other Israeli officials accused the ICC of antisemitism.
The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned a conviction against actor Jussie Smollett, who prosecutors accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 in Chicago.
Two other women accused of harming their children in the same way at the same hospital around the same time were found to have not done so following a Family Court hearing.
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Related Words
More About Accuse
What does accuse mean?
To accuse someone means to say that they are guilty of a crime or offense.
This can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing. But accuse is also used in a legal context in the sense of accusing a person of a crime, especially in an official way.
Accuse is often followed by the person being accused, the word of, and the specific wrongdoing, as in The teacher accused Ted of cheating.
It’s also commonly used in a passive way, as in Ted was accused of cheating.
When you accuse someone of something, you’re making an accusation. A person who accuses is called an accuser (especially when the accusation involves a crime). The adjective accused means charged with a crime or other offense. Accused is also used as a noun to refer to a person or people who have been charged with a crime, often as the accused.
Statements that suggest or outright say that someone did something wrong can be described as accusatory.
Example: If you’re going to accuse them of something that serious, you better have some evidence to back it up.
Where does accuse come from?
The first records of the word accuse come from the second half of the 1200s. It ultimately derives from the Latin accūsāre, meaning “to call to account,” from causa, “lawsuit.”
You might accuse your family members of not listening to you, or accuse one of them of eating the last muffin (when you specifically said you were saving it!). But some accusations are more serious than others.
Accusing someone of a crime is a serious thing to do. Even if they are not found guilty, having been accused may permanently hurt their reputation. Still, just because someone is accused (or charged and indicted) doesn’t mean that they are automatically found guilty of the crime they are suspected of committing (to falsely accuse someone is to lie and claim they did something when you know they didn’t). In most court systems, the accusation (and the guilt of the person) needs to be proven. And, in many cases, the accused has the right to face their accuser in court. Still, the word accuse typically implies that the accuser has firsthand knowledge or evidence of the crime that they claim was committed.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to accuse?
- accused (past tense verb, adjective)
- accusation (noun)
- accuser (noun)
- accusatory (adjective)
- accusatorial (adjective)
- accusal (noun)
- accusable (adjective)
- accusably (adverb)
- accusant (noun)
- accusingly (adverb)
What are some synonyms for accuse?
What are some words that share a root or word element with accuse?
What are some words that often get used in discussing accuse?
How is accuse used in real life?
Accuse is used in serious and not-so-serious ways, but it always involves claiming that someone did something wrong.
Yeah. The first thing racists do when they are caught being racist is accuse the person of color who perceives the racism of being unfair or overly sensitive. Unfortunately, other people with questionable views on race will find this bogusness quite persuasive. https://t.co/in6p8f34bC
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) May 14, 2020
A Baltimore city police sergeant has been accused of kidnapping a man in order to get a refund on a home improvement project. https://t.co/F4CHSQerNj
— WTOP (@WTOP) July 10, 2020
please don’t accuse me of having an attitude that i DON’T have. nothing that irritates me more than being accused of something not true😂
— jor 🧚🏽 (@joordynxoxo) July 8, 2020
Try using accuse!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of accuse?
A. charge
B. indict
C. acquit
D. incriminate
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