ACCUSED Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

accused 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of accused

as in indicted

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

accused

2 of 3

noun

as in defendant

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

accused

3 of 3

verb

past tense of accuse

as in charged

to make a claim of wrongdoing against she was accused of lying on the employment application

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of accused

Verb

Unable to picture evil as anything other than devilish, critics accused Arendt of excusing the perpetrators and blaming the victims. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026 Human rights groups and United Nations officials have accused the Syrian government of widespread abuses in its detention facilities, including torture and arbitrary detention of thousands of people, in many cases without informing their families. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 This season explores the life and alleged crimes of Lizzie Borden, who was accused and acquitted of brutally murdering her father, Andrew, and stepmother, Abby, with an ax in 1892. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026 Less than a year later, she was accused of violating the terms of her probation, but was given a second chance and ordered to re-enroll in a drug treatment program. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 But there has been little appetite for the measure from hardline Republicans, who have accused her of advocating for amnesty for immigrants. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026 Season 4 tells the story of Lizzie Borden (Ella Beatty), who was accused of brutally murdering her father, Andrew Borden (Charlie Hunnam), and stepmother, Abby Borden (Rebecca Hall), in 1892. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 17 Sep. 2026 But critics accused him of trying to buy votes at a time when Republicans are trying to maintain slim majorities in Congress. — Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026 All co-defendants are accused of failing to protect a minor and negligence. — Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for accused

Adjective

Jim Trusty, the lawyer for Rozier, excoriated the league after a hearing Wednesday that served as a status update on Rozier’s case, as well as the other three defendants who remain indicted alongside him.

— Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 11 June 2026
The conservative-leaning New York Post has also reported Wahhaj was listed as an un-indicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

— Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025

Definition of indicted

Noun

Thaci and the other defendants, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
Prosecutors at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court in The Hague have asked for a maximum 45-year prison sentence for Thaci and the other defendants, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of defendant

Adjective

Roughly two dozen countries have statutes that classify maternal infanticide as less culpable than ordinary murder; the United States recognizes no such distinction, forcing cases like Clancy’s into the contentious framework of the insanity defense.

— Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
The investigation also found the Clippers culpable in facilitating additional deals for Leonard to gain income from Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of culpable

Noun

Controversy surrounding Flock cameras Last month, these cameras helped deputies in Cass County track down a shooting suspect, after their vehicle was flagged by a Flock camera, according to the sheriff’s office.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
The rest of the sample was sent to a lab that had the technology to create a genealogical profile of the suspect.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of suspect

Verb

Trump has opposed mail voting and blamed fraud associated with mail voting for his 2020 election loss.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
And despite this finding, which has coexisted for decades, Congress rarely acts, something usually blamed on lobbying outspending a diffuse majority.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of blamed

Noun

First-time targeting offenders do not receive any additional sanctions.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Most of the offenders, too, appear to be delis and bodegas and fast-casual food carts, venues where quality is secondary to moving product quickly and cheaply out the door.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of offender

Browse Nearby Words

accuse

accused

accuser

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Accused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accused. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of accused

adjective

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

churlish

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes