self-incrimination

noun

self-in·​crim·​i·​na·​tion ˌself-in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən 

: incrimination of oneself

specifically : the giving of testimony which will likely subject one to criminal prosecution

Examples of self-incrimination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Senior ActBlue employees refused to answer a single question posed to them by a congressional panel in 2025, choosing to invoke their constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination 146 times, according to an interim staff report recently released by three House committees. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026

Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify during a previous Ethics Committee hearing, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. —Kevin Freking, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026

During her deposition before the committee in February, Maxwell refused to testify, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. —Ava Berger, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026

With Guevara already pleading the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination, the plaintiffs’ attorneys could pepper him with questions in front of a jury that would hear, over and over, his refusal to answer. —Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-incrimination

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

Kids Definition

self-incrimination

noun

self-in·​crim·​i·​na·​tion

ˌsel-fin-ˌkrim-ə-ˈnā-shən

: incrimination of oneself

especially : the giving of evidence or answering of questions which would leave one liable to be tried for a crime

Legal Definition

self-incrimination

noun

self-in·​crim·​i·​na·​tion

ˌself-in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən

: incrimination of and by oneself especially through testimony see also privilege against self-incrimination at privilege