indictment

[in-dahyt-muhnt]

noun

1. an act of indicting.

2. Law.,  a formal accusation initiating a criminal case, presented by a grand jury and usually required for felonies and other serious crimes.

3. any charge, accusation, serious criticism, or cause for blame.

4. the state of being indicted.

indictment

/ ɪnˈdaɪtmənt /

noun

1. a formal written charge of crime formerly referred to and presented on oath by a grand jury

2. any formal accusation of crime

3. a charge of crime brought at the instance of the Lord Advocate

4. the act of indicting or the state of being indicted

indictment

1. A formal accusation of a crime, presented to the accused party after the charges have been considered by a grand jury.

Other Word Forms

• nonindictment noun
• reindictment noun
• superindictment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of indictment¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; indict + -ment; replacing Middle English enditement, from Anglo-French ( indite )

Example Sentences

Before going to trial on a misdemeanor charge, prosecutors failed three times before grand juries to secure an indictment charging Sidney Lori Reid with felony assault.

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According to the indictment, Derraz and Benalla promised to secure the release of Akhmedov's yacht, which had been seized as part of a disputed divorce settlement, and to shield him from being hit with sanctions.

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Meantime, he pursues polarizing distractions from his mandate, such as ordering the National Guard into cities that don’t want it and lobbying for indictments of his political opponents.

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According to the indictment, Dominguez had “established relationships” with several women and girls across multiple states, including Colorado, Texas, New Mexico and a minor in Arizona.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of a property Heppner owns in Dallas as well as an estate that he owns in Eastern Texas known as the Bradley Oaks Ranch, according to the indictment.

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Related Words

• allegation 
• arraignment 
• bill 
• charge 
• citation 
• detention 
• impeachment 
• prosecution 
• statement 
• summons 
• warrant 

When To Use

What does indictment mean?

An indictment is an official accusation stating that a person is being charged with a crime and that a criminal trial will be held.An indictment is the final step in the evidence-gathering process before a person is put on trial for a serious crime, especially a felony. In the U.S., such indictments are presented by a grand jury—the group of people responsible for determining whether there is enough evidence of a crime for a suspect to be put on trial.Indictment can also be used in a more general way, outside of a legal context, to mean an accusation, strong criticism, or something that has the effect of revealing something as being deserving of criticism.Indictment is a noun form of the verb indict, which can be used in the sense of making formal criminal charges or in the more general sense of accusing or criticizing.Example: According to the indictment, the suspect is being charged with armed robbery.