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 of accuse

• indict
• blame
• charge
• sue
• prosecute

Examples of accuse in a Sentence

she was accused of lying on the employment application

Recent Examples on the Web

In August 2024, federal prosecutors accused JMG Investments and Schwartz of improperly receiving two PPP loans in December 2020 and not repaying the duplicate loan as required, according to the DOJ. —Andrea Klick, Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026

Martinez and another man were charged in October with assault with a deadly weapon, accused of following the agents' vehicles and initiating the collision with Exum's SUV that led to the shooting on Chicago's south side. —James Hill, ABC News, 27 Jan. 2026

Those comments drew public criticism from some congressional Republicans, who accused Noem of rushing to judgement. —Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

Iranian authorities accused him of supporting the opposition group the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK). —Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026

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

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

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