accuse

[ uh-kyooz ]

verb (used with object)

, ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

1. to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed by of ):

   He accused him of murder.

   Synonyms: impeach, incriminate, indict, arraign

   Antonyms: exonerate

2. to find fault with; blame.

   Antonyms: exonerate

verb (used without object)

, ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

1. to make an accusation.

accuse

/ əˈkjuːz /

verb

1. to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame

Derived Forms

• acˈcuser, noun
• acˈcusingly, adverb
• acˈcusing, adjective

Other Words From

• ac·cusa·ble adjective
• ac·cusa·bly adverb
• ac·cusant noun
• ac·cusing·ly adverb
• inter·ac·cuse verb (used with object) interaccused interaccusing
• nonac·cusing adjective
• preac·cuse verb (used with object) preaccused preaccusing
• reac·cuse verb (used with object) reaccused reaccusing
• self-ac·cusing adjective
• unac·cusa·ble adjective
• unac·cusing adjective
• unac·cusing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of accuse¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ac(c)usen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsāre “to call to account,” from ac- ac- + cūs-, combining form of causa “case, reason, sake” ( cause ) + āre, infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of accuse¹

C13: via Old French from Latin accūsāre to call to account, from ad- to + causa lawsuit

Example Sentences

There are those who accuse their games of not really being video games at all, which is ludicrous.

From The Daily Beast

Certainly sounds like something people would accuse a king of doing.

From The Daily Beast

To accuse him of doing so is certainly an effective way to end a conversation.

From The Daily Beast

U.S. intelligence agencies accuse the Khorasan veterans of plotting attacks against commercial airliners in the West.

From The Daily Beast

And he says that those who accuse Napoleon of killing off democracy misunderstand politics in 19th century Europe.

From The Daily Beast

Could he be conscious of all this, and not excuse the unsteady youth—accuse himself?

From Project Gutenberg

He was the last man in the world to accuse of saying or doing anything merely for the sake of effect.

From Project Gutenberg

The blind man, missing his money, suspected who was the thief; but to accuse him would serve no purpose.

From Project Gutenberg

Apart from the general charge of being successful—whatever that amounts to—you accuse me of two things.

From Project Gutenberg

It required peculiar boldness, at that hour, to accuse Robespierre and Danton of crime.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• allege
• arraign
• arrest
• attack
• blame
• brand
• charge
• cite
• complain
• denounce
• implicate
• indict
• name
• prosecute
• sue
• summon