accusation

ac·cu·sa·tion | \ ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən

How to pronounce accusation (audio)

, -(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 Fairfax insisted both encounters were consensual and that the accusations were politically motivated. — Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, "Judge dismisses Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s defamation suit over CBS interviews on sexual assault claims," 12 Feb. 2020 The details around the accusation remain vague, indicating that Huawei may be able to spy on access points meant for law enforcement. — Lily Hay Newman, Wired, "The US Fears Huawei Because It Knows How Tempting Backdoors Are," 11 Feb. 2020 Robert Gangi, who heads the Police Reform Organizing Project, called the accusations irresponsible and noted that police had revealed no connection between Williams and the protests. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, "NYPD protesters to mayor: Don't blame us for attacks on Bronx officers," 10 Feb. 2020 The school reported the accusations to Lakewood police. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland, "Ex-St. Edward High School wrestling coach pleads not guilty to sexual abuse charges," 7 Feb. 2020 The couple's lives have been in shambles since the accusations came to light. — Dakin Andone, CNN, "The California surgeon and his girlfriend accused of drugging and raping women say they 'can't believe this happened to us' after charges are dropped," 7 Feb. 2020 The board hired an outside attorney to conduct an investigation into the accusations. — Daniel Bice, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Bice: Fired chief of staff of DNC Host Committee says he was never questioned by investigators," 7 Feb. 2020 The accusation was echoed in a press release from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee closely tied with Warren. — Joseph Simonson, Washington Examiner, "Democratic candidates get nasty in final days before New Hampshire primary," 6 Feb. 2020 The central accusation is that Trump pursued a quid pro quo, demanding a Ukrainian investigation into the Bidens in exchange for a White House meeting for Zelenksiy and also for nearly $400 million in military aid for the Eastern European country. — Tom Benning, Dallas News, "Senate votes 51-49 to reject new witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, paving way for eventual acquittal vote," 1 Feb. 2020

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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Last Updated

15 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Accusation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accusation. Accessed 23 Feb. 2020.

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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

ac·cu·sa·tion | \ ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən

\

Kids Definition of accusation

: a claim that someone has done something bad or illegal

accusation

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

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