accuse

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

Synonyms

• charge
• criminate
• defame [archaic]
• impeach
• incriminate
• indict

Examples of accuse in a Sentence

she was accused of lying on the employment application

Recent Examples on the Web

His reelection bid is expected to be the tightest Wisconsin House race, and national Democrats have given the race more attention after they were accused of abandoning the district last cycle. —Journal Sentinel, 4 Oct. 2024

The movie also won an Oscar for its score by Hildur Guðnadóttir, and became a flashpoint of cultural discussion, with some accusing it of glorifying violence. —Conor Murray, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

Both Fulton County, Georgia, and special counsel Jack Smith have separately indicted Trump, accusing him of seeking to overturn the election results in the state. —Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024

Afro-Caribbean religions like Vodou, Santería and Palo Monte were demonized during the Satanic Panic, with practitioners being falsely accused of engaging in animal and child abuse. —Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesús / Made By History, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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

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