accuse

1 of 2

verb

ac·​cuse ə-ˈkyüz 

accused; accusing

transitive verb

1

: to charge with a fault or offense : blame

He accused her of being disloyal.

2

: to charge with an offense judicially or by a public process

He was accused of murder.

intransitive verb

: to bring an accusation

accuser

ə-ˈkyü-zər 

noun

accuser

2 of 2

noun

ac·​cus·​er ə-ˈkyü-zər 

plural -s

: one that accuses

specifically : one that formally accuses another of a crime

Synonyms of accuse

Verb

• indict
• blame
• charge
• sue
• prosecute

Examples of accuse in a Sentence

Verb

she was accused of lying on the employment application

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Netanyahu has been accused of offering or exchanging favors with wealthy associates and media moguls for political gain. — Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026

Nelson Blanco, 46, is accused of stabbing the 2-year-old girl and her mother Wednesday afternoon near Broad and Public streets in Providence, police said. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of providing sanctuary to TTP militants, an allegation Kabul denies. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Gandhi and other opposition leaders have accused the commission of conducting the voter revision in a way that benefits Modi’s party. — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English acusen, accusen, borrowed from Anglo-French accuser, acuser, borrowed from Latin accūsāre "to blame, censure, charge with a crime," from ad- ad- + -cūsāre, verbal derivative of causa "legal case, reason, cause" — more at cause entry 1

Noun

Middle English accusour, acusere, borrowed from Anglo-French accusour, from accuser "to accuse entry 1" + -our -or entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for accuse

• accrues
• aircrews
• amuse
• bamboos
• breakthroughs
• canoes
• cashews
• chartreuse
• confuse
• construes
• defuse
• ensues

Kids Definition

accuse

verb

ac·​cuse ə-ˈkyüz 

accused; accusing

: to blame for wrongdoing : to charge with a fault and especially with a crime

accuser noun

accusingly

-ˈkyü-ziŋ-lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

accuse

verb

ac·​cuse

accused; accusing

transitive verb

: to charge with an offense judicially or by a public process compare indict

intransitive verb

: to make or bring an accusation

accuser noun

Etymology

Verb

Latin accusare to find fault with, charge with a crime, from ad to, at + causa legal case, trial