incriminate
verb
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
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
The Campano family were Nicholas’ most colorful clients, and Owen turned in information about them that got many sent to prison, including Nicholas, who took the fall for them instead of incriminating them.
—
Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
The opportunities for Putin to collect incriminating information about powerful Americans would have been endless.
—Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Oliver, who has never sent Bree anything incriminating.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
During Moore’s arrest, another officer baited him into making an incriminating statement, Judge Patton found at the preliminary hearing.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incriminate
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Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
The opportunities for Putin to collect incriminating information about powerful Americans would have been endless.
—Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2026
Advertisement Oliver, who has never sent Bree anything incriminating.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
During Moore’s arrest, another officer baited him into making an incriminating statement, Judge Patton found at the preliminary hearing.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 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 24 Feb. 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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