accusation

noun

ac·cu·sa·tion | \ ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən

, -(ˌ)kyü-\

Definition of accusation

1 : a charge of wrongdoing The evidence confirms the accusations made against him. She denied the accusation.

2 : the act of accusing someone : the state or fact of being accused

Examples of accusation in a Sentence

Investigators have made accusations of corruption against a group of former officials. The police are investigating serious accusations of wrongdoing. He denied the accusation that he had lied to the police. There was a hint of accusation in his voice when he asked her where she had been.

Recent Examples on the Web

Epstein faced similar accusations in Florida back in 2007, but signed a plea deal with prosecutors allowing him to avoid federal charges and plead guilty to lesser state prostitution charges. — Holly Yan, CNN, "Jeffery Epstein's apparent suicide is fueling rumors and questions. Here's what we know, and what's next," 11 Aug. 2019 Epstein faced similar accusations in Florida in 2007 but signed a plea deal that year with Miami prosecutors allowing him to avoid federal charges and plead guilty to lesser state prostitution charges. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has died by suicide, sources say," 10 Aug. 2019 The charges by New York federal prosecutors came more than a decade after Epstein faced similar accusations in Florida. — Htv National Desk, Houston Chronicle, "FBI investigating after Jeffrey Epstein dies by suicide in Manhattan prison cell," 10 Aug. 2019 As some police departments in America face accusations of bias and brutality, CBS News is getting an exclusive look at the FBI's new effort to track police use of force. — CBS News, "How the FBI is collecting data on police departments' use of force, five years after Ferguson," 8 Aug. 2019 Planning for the Ross fund-raiser began about three weeks ago, according to a person with knowledge, and continued as Mr. Trump indignantly faced down accusations of being a racist. — Katie Rogers, New York Times, "Trump’s Opponents Want to Name His Big Donors. His Supporters Say It’s Harassment.," 8 Aug. 2019 From black leaders, Carter faced accusations of reneging on commitments and taking their support for granted. — Steve Kornacki, NBC News, "Journey to power: The history of black voters, 1976 to 2020," 29 July 2019 Fonseca was facing accusations of unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, second-degree theft and second-degree criminal mischief after his February arrest, but prosecutors later dismissed the case. — oregonlive.com, "Oregon DMV worker, boyfriend accused of using driver information to steal from cars in Portland metro area," 18 July 2019 As election day looms, Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith faces accusations of using his position — and public money — to advocate against Proposition 105. — J. Edward Moreno, azcentral, "Valley Metro says it's educating people about light rail. But Goldwater Institute says it's trying to sway voters," 17 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'accusation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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accusations are flying

accusatival

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Last Updated

16 Aug 2019

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The first known use of accusation was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for accusation

accusation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of accusation

: a claim that someone has done something wrong or illegal : a charge that someone has committed a fault or crime

See the full definition for accusation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

accusation

noun

ac·cu·sa·tion | \ ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən

Kids Definition of accusation

: a claim that someone has done something bad or illegal

accusation

noun

ac·cu·sa·tion | \ ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən

Legal Definition of accusation

1 : a formal charge of wrongdoing, delinquency, or fault the accused shall enjoy the right…to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation — U.S. Constitution amend. VI — compare allegation, indictment, information

2 : the offense or fault of which one is accused the accusation was murder