incriminate

verb

in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt 

incriminated; incriminating

transitive verb

: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault

incrimination

in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

incriminatory

in-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-ˈkrim-nə-

adjective

Did you know?

Testimony may incriminate a suspect by placing him at the scene of a crime, and incriminating evidence is the kind that strongly links him to it. But the word doesn't always refer to an actual crime. We can say, for instance, that a virus has been incriminated as the cause of a type of cancer, or that video games have been incriminated in the decline in study skills among young people.

Synonyms

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

Examples of incriminate in a Sentence

Material found at the crime scene incriminates the defendant.

in exchange for a reduced sentence, the thief agreed to incriminate his accomplice

Recent Examples on the Web

All of them involve a probable-cause finding that incriminating evidence will be recovered on the premises ... —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 22 May 2024

After incriminating emails were discovered on a computer in the City Attorney’s Office, his staff alerted reporters and the civil court, Feuer has said. —Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024

But authorities refused to file charges for eight years – until the woman received a series of incriminating messages from Cleary on Facebook Messenger, the warrant states. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024

Equally incriminating was the evidence left on her body. —Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 14 May 2024

Despite precedents of potentially incriminating song lyrics being protected as free speech and artistic expression under the 1st Amendment, lyrics can be submitted into evidence during a criminal trial, as seen in the Georgia case against YSL rapper Young Thug. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2024

Experts who track the issue are skeptical that the report will incriminate Israel, at least without finding ways to continue arms deliveries. —Michael Crowley, New York Times, 7 May 2024

Three informants were used to pry incriminating evidence from Smith, but only one informant was disclosed to the defense. —Tony Saavedra, Orange County Register, 6 May 2024

Guevara is accused of falsely incriminating dozens of men and women from the 1980s to the early 2000s. —Albinson Linares, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin incriminatus, past participle of incriminare, from Latin in- + crimin-, crimen crime

First Known Use

circa 1736, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

incriminate

verb

in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt 

incriminated; incriminating

1

: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault : accuse

2

: to cause to appear guilty of or responsible for something

evidence that tends to incriminate the defendant

incrimination

(ˌ)in-ˌkrim-ə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

incriminatory

in-ˈkrim-(ə-)nə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

Legal Definition

incriminate

transitive verb

in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt 

incriminated; incriminating

1

: to charge with involvement in a crime

he was incriminated in the conspiracy

2

: to suggest or show involvement of in a crime

among the evidence that incriminated him was a box of trigger devices

see also self-incrimination

incrimination

in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

incriminatory

in-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌtōr-ē 

adjective