Accuse Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms accuse American [uh-kyooz] / əˈkyuz /

verb (used with object)

accused, accusing

1. to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed byof ).

   He accused him of murder.

   Synonyms: impeach, incriminate, indict, arraign Antonyms: exonerate

2. to find fault with; blame.

   Antonyms: exonerate

verb (used without object)

accused, accusing

1. to make an accusation.

accuse British / əˈkjuːz /

verb

1. to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• accusable adjective
• accusably adverb
• accusant noun
• accuser noun
• accusing adjective
• accusingly adverb
• interaccuse verb (used with object)
• nonaccusing adjective
• preaccuse verb (used with object)
• reaccuse verb (used with object)
• self-accusing adjective
• unaccusable adjective
• unaccusing adjective
• unaccusingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of accuse

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ac(c)usen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsāre “to call to account,” from ac- ac- + cūs-, combining form of causa “case, reason, sake” ( cause ) + āre, infinitive suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While some have accused Chalamet of punching down, he could be speaking from a position of knowledge - he has previously talked glowingly about his grandmother, mother and sister all being dancers.

From BBC

According to the official briefed on the investigation, the accused officer had been working an overtime detail with the department’s Transit Services Division and had responded to a call for service with his partner.

From Los Angeles Times

Close to half of the accused Americans were never charged with assault.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Spain international accused referee Robert Jones of not being "neutral" in City's 2-2 draw on 1 February.

From BBC

In the trial, which started last week, the Justice Department accused Live Nation of abusing its dominant position to pressure artists and venues into signing with it, stifle competition, and impose excessive fees on fans.

From BBC

Related Words

• allege
• arraign
• arrest
• attack
• blame
• brand
• charge
• cite
• complain
• denounce
• implicate
• indict
• name
• prosecute
• sue
• summon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.