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

The designation could expose individuals accused of working with MI6 to prosecution under Iranian law and heighten the risk of military confrontation. — Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

The following year, Moore returned as a counselor and was accused of entering campers’ rooms at night, but no abuse was reported. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Senate Democrats are accusing Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, of giving prediction market Polymarket preferential treatment. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

El Sayed refused to denounce the ad, instead accusing the congresswoman of relitigating their primary. — Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 1 Nov. 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