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incriminate

verb
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in·​crim·​i·​nate | \ in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \
incriminated; incriminating

Definition of incriminate

transitive verb

: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault
Other Words from incriminate Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about incriminate

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Other Words from incriminate

incrimination \ in-​ˌkri-​mə-​ˈnā-​shən How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \ noun
incriminatory \ in-​ˈkrim-​nə-​ˌtȯr-​ē How to pronounce incriminate (audio) , -​ˈkri-​mə-​ \ adjective

Synonyms & Antonyms for incriminate

Synonyms

Antonyms

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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.

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 Last week, Matthew Sherring, who had been a close aide to McGrath at MES, invoked his constitutional right not to incriminate himself more than 130 times in declining to answer questions from the committee. — Washington Post, "Ex-aide to Gov. Hogan declines to answer lawmakers’ questions about large severance payment," 17 Dec. 2020 By showing that Ghosn had been forced to incriminate himself while in jail, the panel of lawyers were in effect throwing the government’s entire case in doubt. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, "Japan’s jailing of Carlos Ghosn was overly ‘harsh’ and compromises their case, U.N. rights lawyers say," 23 Nov. 2020 But both repeatedly invoked their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves in depositions in the civil case last summer, while a possible Fairfax prosecution was pending. — Washington Post, "Civil trial in Park Police slaying of Bijan Ghaisar postponed until next year," 30 Oct. 2020 Hubbard, who invoked his right not to incriminate himself at the 2007 hearing in Spencer’s case, is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for aggravated robbery. — Dallas News, "Dallas man convicted in deadly 1987 robbery makes another bid for freedom after new evidence surfaces," 4 Sep. 2020 The 15-year-old also will face an additional count of tampering with a witness, which is a Class 6 felony, for attempting to keep witnesses from incriminating him. — Audrey Jensen, azcentral, "5 juveniles started Park Fire in Bagdad, officials say," 23 May 2020 Another is a national security law that critics say could incriminate a large swathe of anti-government action. — Mary Hui, Quartz, "While the world wasn’t looking, Beijing re-wrote the rules in Hong Kong at startling speed," 14 May 2020 Durst is accused of killing his best friend to stop her from incriminating him in the 1982 disappearance of his wife Kathleen McCormack Durst. — Paul Vercammen, CNN, "Robert Durst murder case among Los Angeles jury trials suspended because of coronavirus concerns," 15 Mar. 2020 Documents released in the 1970s showed extensive - and incriminating - correspondence between an NSA pioneer and Crypto's founder. — Greg Miller, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Intelligence coup of the century’: How the CIA was able to read encrypted messages of allies and adversaries for decades," 11 Feb. 2020

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

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First Known Use of incriminate

circa 1736, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for incriminate

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

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Time Traveler for incriminate

Time Traveler

The first known use of incriminate was circa 1736

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Statistics for incriminate

Last Updated

20 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Incriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incriminate. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for incriminate

incriminate

verb
How to pronounce incriminate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of incriminate

: to cause (someone) to appear guilty of or responsible for something (such as a crime)

See the full definition for incriminate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

incriminate

verb
in·​crim·​i·​nate | \ in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \
incriminated; incriminating

Kids Definition of incriminate

: to make (someone) appear guilty of or responsible for something … the story of how it had fallen into his hands incriminated not only him, but his own father …— J. K. Rowling, Goblet of Fire

incriminate

transitive verb
in·​crim·​i·​nate | \ in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \
incriminated; incriminating

Legal Definition of incriminate

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

Other Words from incriminate

incrimination \ in-​ˌkri-​mə-​ˈnā-​shən How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \ noun
incriminatory \ in-​ˈkri-​mə-​nə-​ˌtōr-​ē How to pronounce incriminate (audio) \ adjective

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for incriminate

Nglish: Translation of incriminate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of incriminate for Arabic Speakers

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