indict

verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

indicted; indicting; indicts

1

transitive + intransitive : to formally charge (someone) with a crime by the finding of a jury (such as a grand jury) : to formally accuse (someone) of a crime in an indictment

If either the IRS or the FBI decides a suspect has committed a crime, a lot of hurdles must be leaped before that individual is put in prison. The agents must gather evidence, persuade an independent prosecutor to present the evidence to a grand jury, make sure the evidence is convincing enough so that the grand jury will indict the suspect, and then present the evidence to a regular jury that decides whether the suspect is innocent or guilty.

—David Burnham

Traditionally the grand jury consisted of 23 persons with the favorable vote of a majority needed to indict. Today, many states use a somewhat smaller grand jury (e.g., 12) and some require more than a simple majority to indict.

—Wayne R. LaFave and Jerold H. Israel

2

transitive : to accuse (someone or something) of a weakness, failing, or wrong action

… I indict those citizens whose easy consciences condone such wrongdoings.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Past studies have indicted high radon levels for an excess of lung cancers among underground hard-rock miners …

—J. Raloff

indicter noun

or indictor

in-ˈdī-tər 

Synonyms of indict

• accuse
• prosecute

Examples of indict in a Sentence

A grand jury is expected to indict him for murder.

the grand jury could indict the mayor for fraud and embezzlement

Recent Examples on the Web

When a backlash sent him back to New York, he was repeatedly indicted but eluded criminal conviction. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 Sep. 2026

In court filings, Moriarty says her office would not indict Taylor on the first-degree charge if the case were to be prosecuted in the modern day. — Aki Nace, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Sanon, 67, was indicted with several others, including four South Florida men who were convicted earlier this year on conspiracy charges stemming from the plot to kidnap and kill the president. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026

Feldstein was arrested three weeks later, and, in November, 2024, he was indicted for leaking the top- secret document to Bild, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier indite, from Middle English inditen, from Anglo-French enditer to write, point out, indict — more at indite

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for indict

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Video

Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

And who put it there, anyway?

Kids Definition

indict

verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

: to charge with an offense or crime : accuse

indictable

-ə-bəl

adjective

Legal Definition

indict

transitive verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

: to charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a grand jury in due form of law compare accuse, arraign, charge

Etymology

alteration of earlier indite, from Anglo-French enditer, from Old French, to write down, ultimately from Latin indicere to proclaim, from in- toward + dicere to say