accused

American  

[uh-kyoozd] / əˈkyuzd /

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

Ratner has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

From Los Angeles Times

State investigators, meanwhile, have accused their federal counterparts of blocking them from investigating the shooting.

From Salon

There are no suggestions he ever visited Epstein's private island and he has not been accused of any crime by Epstein's victims.

From BBC

The officials accused “foreign actors” of draining billions from public healthcare programs in California, referencing bogus hospice providers first exposed by The Times in 2020 and later investigated by California Atty.

From Los Angeles Times

On the contrary, Carlson eventually came to realize that the pathway to professional success was to double, triple and even quadruple down on being the hack Stewart accused him of being.

From Salon