accuse

verb

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ac·cuse | \ ə-ˈkyüz

accused; accusing

Definition of accuse

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

Other Words from accuse Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About accuse

Examples of accuse in a Sentence

she was accused of lying on the employment application

Recent Examples on the Web Another remaining plaintiff is Lauren Baxley, one of the first two women who came forward publicly by name to accuse Watson of misconduct in 2021. — Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY, 1 July 2022 Hundreds of young women and girls came forward to accuse Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, of inappropriate or criminal behaviour. — Luke Barr, ABC News, 8 June 2022 Parents went on to attack Lewis’ credentials and wrongfully accuse her of promoting critical race theory. — Nicole Carr, ProPublica, 24 June 2022 While Melnyk’s detractors accuse him of never being satisfied, the ambassador points to the momentum on the battlefield and the need for urgency, as dozens of Ukrainian soldiers die every day. — Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 15 June 2022 Jackson is then seen lying on his back on the sidewalk just outside of the event as others chastise him and accuse him of hitting a woman. — Mike Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 10 June 2022 The rigor of Duke’s process—which can require up to four or five rounds of peer review—is legendary among academics, and even those who tease Duke for its style rarely accuse it of lacking substance. — Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2022 Schartel said people accuse him and his wife of being traitors to the U.S. and occasionally issue threats. — Fox News, 27 Mar. 2022 Some might read all this and accuse me — or the academy — of prioritizing politics over artistic merit. — Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2022 See More

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

History and Etymology for accuse

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