in·crim·i·nate
in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt 
incriminated; incriminating
: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault
statements that incriminate them
in·crim·i·na·tion
(ˌ)inˌkriməˈnāshən
ənˌk-
: the act of incriminating or the state of being incriminated
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
Verb
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
Corin Cesaric, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
And if an incriminating video existed, there wasn’t as big of a platform to share it.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 1 June 2026
But while no incriminating data or embarrassing details accompany the couple's profile, Duncan stares at their pictures as if he's seen a ghost.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office conducted the raid on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping — but found nothing with which to incriminate or charge Afroman.
—Andrew Graham
may 28, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incriminate
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Verb
Prosecutors argue that the audiotapes contain incriminating statements regarding Crawford's death.
—Corin Cesaric, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
And if an incriminating video existed, there wasn’t as big of a platform to share it.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 1 June 2026
But while no incriminating data or embarrassing details accompany the couple's profile, Duncan stares at their pictures as if he's seen a ghost.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office conducted the raid on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping — but found nothing with which to incriminate or charge Afroman.
—Andrew Graham
may 28, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for incriminate
Cite this Entry
“Incriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incriminate. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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