impeachment

American  

[im-peech-muhnt] / ɪmˈpitʃ mənt /

noun

1. the impeaching of a public official before an appropriate tribunal.

2. (in Congress or a state legislature) the presentation of formal charges against a public official by the lower house, trial to be before the upper house.

3. demonstration that a witness is less worthy of belief.

4. the act of impeaching.

5. the state of being impeached.

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impeachment British  

/ ɪmˈpiːtʃmənt /

noun

1. rare (in England) committal by the House of Commons, esp of a minister of the Crown, for trial by the House of Lords. The last instance occurred in 1805

2. (in the US) a proceeding brought against a federal government official

3. an accusation or charge

4. obsolete discredit; reproach

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impeachment Cultural  

1. A formal accusation of wrongdoing against a public official. According to the United States Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to impeach an official, but the Senate actually tries the case. Several presidencies have been blemished by impeachment or the threat of impeachment: President Andrew Johnson was impeached after the Civil War but was acquitted. President Richard Nixon resigned from office as the House of Representatives prepared to initiate impeachment proceedings. President William Jefferson Clinton was impeached in 1998 but was acquitted by the Senate the following year.

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Usage

What does impeachment mean? Impeachment is the act or process of impeaching a public official—formally accusing them of misconduct committed while in office. The word impeachment can also refer to the state of being impeached. An offense that is cause for someone’s impeachment can be called an impeachable offense. In the U. S., impeachment is closely associated with the act of officially bringing charges of misconduct against a sitting president (though other federal officials can be impeached). Impeaching an official is not the same as convicting them or removing them from office—to impeach is simply to formally present charges against them. Under U. S. law (specifically Article I of the Constitution), the House of Representatives has the power to formally accuse federal officials of misconduct through the process of impeachment. According to the Constitution, an official can be subjected to impeachment if they are alleged to have committed treason, bribery, or “other high crimes and misdemeanors” (this vague term covers a number of offenses but is the subject of debate). The formal charges are called articles of impeachment. If the House votes in favor of impeachment, the Senate then conducts an impeachment trial. In order for the person to be found guilty, two-thirds of the Senate must vote in favor of conviction. If found guilty, the official is removed from office (and may be forbidden from holding political office again, depending on the ruling of the Senate). In a more general legal context, the word impeachment can refer to the questioning of a witness’s credibility. The word impeachment can also be used in a more general way referring to the act of calling into question, as in Your impeachment of my motives is way off-base. It can also refer to the act of challenging or calling to account, as in The impeachment of such behavior is necessary in order to condemn it. Example: Representatives have said they will proceed with impeachment of the president if he refuses to resign.

Other Word Forms

• nonimpeachment noun

Etymology

Origin of impeachment

1350–1400; Middle English empechement < Anglo-French. See impeach, -ment

Explanation

Though it might be more fun if it meant "canning peaches for the winter," impeachment is actually a formal document accusing a public official with misconduct. The United States Constitution gives the legislative branch the power of impeachment, that is, to press formal charges of misconduct against a sitting president. The House of Representatives makes the formal charges, and the trial is held in the Senate. A two-thirds majority of the Senate is required for a conviction. Two United States presidents — Andrew Johnson and William Clinton — have been impeached. Neither was convicted. Other federal officials, like judges, can also be impeached.

Example Sentences

On this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick turns to two experts on impeachment and the 25th Amendment: Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Professor Michael Gerhardt.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

Duterte announced her candidacy for president in the 2028 election a few weeks before the House impeachment hearings started.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

In the Philippines, only one-third of the House must vote in favour of impeachment for the case to move to the Senate.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

Grimm also noted that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts himself opposes the impeachment of Boasberg.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

In his lifetime, he will suffer the public shame of impeachment.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

Related Words

• accusation
• action
• argument
• bill
• case
• claim
• dispute
• indictment
• litigation
• prosecution
• suit
• trial