arraign

American  

[uh-reyn] / əˈreɪn /

verb (used with object)

• arraigns,
  present (3rd person singular)
• arraigned,
  past participle,  past
• arraigning
  present participle

1. Law. to call or bring before a court to answer to an indictment, a formal charge for which it has been ascertained that there is enough evidence to warrant trial.

   He is scheduled to be arraigned this morning on drug and gun charges.

2. to accuse or charge in general; criticize; censure.

   I am not arraigning Professor Wells for these omissions, only mentioning them to indicate how complex such questions can be.

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arraign British  

/ əˈreɪn /

verb

1. to bring (a prisoner) before a court to answer an indictment

2. to call to account; complain about; accuse

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• arraigner
  noun
• arraignment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• arraigning
  present
• arraigned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• arraign
  simple
• arraigns
  simple
• have arraigned
  perfect
• has arraigned
  perfect
• am arraigning
  progressive
• are arraigning
  progressive
• is arraigning
  progressive
• have been arraigning
  perfect progressive
• has been arraigning
  perfect progressive

Past

• arraigned
  simple
• had arraigned
  perfect
• was arraigning
  progressive
• were arraigning
  progressive
• had been arraigning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will arraign
  simple
• will have arraigned
  perfect
• will be arraigning
  progressive
• will have been arraigning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of arraign

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English arainen, from Anglo-French arainer, Old French araisnier, equivalent to a- a- ⁵ + raisnier, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ratiōnāre “to talk, reason”; see ratio

Explanation

To arraign someone is to call the person before a court of law to be charged. You've probably seen it in movies. It's the part where an official charge is read and the accused responds by saying "guilty" or "not guilty." Arraign comes from Old French, but it traces back to the Latin ad, meaning “to,” and ration, meaning “reason or account.” So if you arraign someone, it’s like you're presenting an account — a record — of the thing the person has done wrong. You're outlining a formal charge in court. Arraign can also be used more broadly to describe any accusation of wrongdoing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

arraign arraigns arraigned arraigning

O’Connor said federal law and rules of criminal procedure “require this Court to publicly arraign Boeing and permit the crime victims’ representatives to be heard at or in advance of the proceeding.”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2023

In most circumstances, prosecutors have 48 hours to arraign a person in custody, said Louis Shapiro, a well-known defense lawyer in California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2022

The prosecutor noted the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic could put a snag in efforts to arraign Schulte on the new charges and start his retrial as soon as possible, however.

From Washington Times ● May 30, 2020

Hägglund wants to arraign capitalism for a similar asceticism.

From The New Yorker ● May 13, 2019

Then the council commenced active proceedings to arraign and try him, and in December he revoked these bulls.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume II by Lea, Henry Charles

It loosely and libelously arraigns Canada Packers Ltd.,

From Time Magazine Archive

Amid echoes of the ominous thunderclap of the Faubus election victory in Arkansas, Author Dabbs speaks in a deceptively small voice, but arraigns himself no less harshly than his neighbors.

From Time Magazine Archive

Clummerhorn has the cars towed to his garage, lodges the young people in his hotel, arraigns them in his traffic court.

From Time Magazine Archive

The clerk of arraigns arose, and addressing the jury, inquired: "Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon your verdict?"

From Tried for Her Life A Sequel to "Cruel As the Grave" by Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte

I maintain too that any other man whom Kleander arraigns ought in like manner to give himself up for trial, in order that you collectively may be discharged from the imputation.

From The Two Great Retreats of History by Montgomery, D. H. (David Henry)

He hadn’t been arraigned by Friday evening, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Juin was arraigned late Thursday and released on a $2 million bond.

From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026

Hernández is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on the federal charges.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026

Spears is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in a courtroom in Ventura County, which borders Los Angeles County.

From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026

It was large and packed; this was not just a hearing for Reggie but for many others being arraigned.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

“It’s been arraigning — I mean, raining,” Mr. Conway tweeted.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 12, 2022

Dr Mehmood says there aren't enough police available to "handle all these cases efficiently and judiciously, without arraigning innocent people to complete paperwork and save their jobs".

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2020

It is hard to resist the conclusion that Garner, in full maternal mode, is arraigning him for not being more of a man.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 4, 2016

Another positive development involves arraigning and prosecuting poachers in courts in the main cities, which are considered less susceptible to corruption than their local counterparts.

From National Geographic ● Dec. 10, 2015

I am not defending the firecracker, but arraigning the failure of the law to carry its point and maintain its dignity.

From The Children of the Poor by Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)