Showing results for "accused"

• past participle of accuse.
• past tense form of accuse.

accused

American  

[uh-kyoozd] / əˈkjuzd /

adjective

1. charged with a crime, wrongdoing, fault, etc..

   the accused boy.

---

noun

1. Often the accused a person or persons charged in a court of law with a crime, offense, etc.

accused British  

/ əˈkjuːzd /

noun

1. law the defendant or defendants appearing on a criminal charge

---

Usage

What does accused mean? Accused is an adjective that means charged with a crime or other offense. Accused is also used as a noun to refer to a person or people who have been charged with a crime, often as the accused. To accuse someone of something means to say that they are guilty of it. This can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing. But accused is most used in the context of the criminal justice system to indicate that a person has been officially charged with a crime. Example: The accused was escorted in the courtroom by police.

Other Word Forms

• misaccused
  adjective
• self-accused
  adjective
• unaccused
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of accused

First recorded in 1585–95; accuse + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Accused of benefitting from nepotism when his mother was in power, Tarique Rahman has also faced allegations of corruption.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Appeared in the November 3, 2025, print edition as 'FDA Official Steps Down, Accused by Drugmaker of Seeking Bribe'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

Accused of fraud after his company, Eutelia, declared bankruptcy in 2010, Landi and some of its executives were tried and convicted in Italy.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2025

Foster, who has previously won Oscars for her work in "The Accused" and "The Silence of the Lambs," has checked almost all of the boxes needed to get her EGOT.

From Salon • Sep. 16, 2024

Accused number three is found guilty on all four counts.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela