accuse
Americanverb (used with object)
-
accuses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
accused,
past participle, past
-
accusing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
accuses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
accused,
past participle, past
-
accusing
present participle
verb
Usage
What does accuse mean? To accuse someone means to say that they are guilty of a crime or offense. This can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing. But accuse is also used in a legal context in the sense of accusing a person of a crime, especially in an official way. Accuse is often followed by the person being accused, the word of, and the specific wrongdoing, as in The teacher accused Ted of cheating. It’s also commonly used in a passive way, as in Ted was accused of cheating. When you accuse someone of something, you’re making an accusation. A person who accuses is called an accuser (especially when the accusation involves a crime). The adjective accused 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. Statements that suggest or outright say that someone did something wrong can be described as accusatory. Example: If you’re going to accuse them of something that serious, you better have some evidence to back it up.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
accusantnoun
-
accusernoun
-
interaccuseverb (used with object)
-
preaccuseverb (used with object)
-
reaccuseverb (used with object)
-
accusableadjective
-
accusingadjective
-
nonaccusingadjective
-
self-accusingadjective
-
unaccusableadjective
-
unaccusingadjective
-
accusablyadverb
-
accusinglyadverb
-
unaccusinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
accusesimple
-
accusessimple
-
have accusedperfect
-
has accusedperfect
-
am accusingprogressive
-
are accusingprogressive
-
is accusingprogressive
-
have been accusingperfect progressive
-
has been accusingperfect progressive
Past
-
accusedsimple
-
had accusedperfect
-
was accusingprogressive
-
were accusingprogressive
-
had been accusingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of accuse
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” ( see cause) + āre, infinitive suffix
Explanation
If you charge someone with misdeeds or misconduct, you accuse that person. If the last piece of devil's food cake is missing, your sister may accuse you of eating it — especially if you have chocolate on your mouth. The verb accuse comes from the Latin word accusare, which itself is formed from the roots ad, meaning toward, and causa, reason or lawsuit. "Cause," "excuse," and even "ruse" are all from that same root word. Today, if you're accused of a crime, you may still be headed toward a lawsuit. However, to accuse someone of a crime doesn't necessarily make them guilty — plenty of people have been falsely accused.
Vocabulary lists containing accuse
Wasn't Me: The Lingo of Laying Blame
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dead End in Norvelt
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Klobuchar: I’m going to begin my questions now, but I think people should have their facts straight before they accuse someone of being a “dirtbag” and not get the teams wrong.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
In their first broadcast interview since their son's passing, the Vigar family accuse the Football Association of doing "nothing" after previous similar incidents.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
They accuse doomers of being a front for companies seeking to use regulation to crush rivals.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
The practice has alarmed de la Espriella’s political opponents and human-rights groups, who accuse him of displaying the dead as trophies and violating international rules that prohibit desecrating those killed in operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
“Is that clear? We’ll find your mitt, Jason—but you can’t just accuse people of stealing.”
From "The Missing Mitt (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #2)" by Franklin W. Dixon
The filing accuses the government of “head-in-the-sand disregard for UCLA’s recent reforms.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In a video posted to social media, Gateway Pundit employee Myles Morell gets close to a McConnell aide, who accuses Mr. Morell of touching him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
The 230-page lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Northern California, accuses Meta of fraud and false advertising, along with violating other consumer protection laws in various states.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
And early next year, a trial is scheduled to begin in a case that accuses Amazon of illegally maintaining a monopoly in online retail.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Luz accuses Ivanito of repeating their mother’s pretentious phrases, of saying things like “The moon glares with a vivid indifference.”
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Authorities said it was the most voted name in an online poll done in May, but some online media users accused authorities of rigging the vote.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Universities, McKay said, had been forced to shoulder a legal burden they never wanted, caught in a “push and pull” between accusers and the accused.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Those targeted by Home Office immigration enforcement officers this morning are accused of charging migrants up to £4,500 for fabricated evidence, including staged photographs and fake documents.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
He has accused the Oscar-winning filmmaker, whose documentaries have tackled Scientology, Enron, Lance Armstrong and Elizabeth Holmes, of having “zero integrity” and dismissed his movies as “boring af.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
There’d been several more reports around town of people being accused of sedition.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Katz and Junger sued, accusing their ex-bosses of discrimination and retaliation, and held a press conference.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
However, in the last six months there has been a worsening of relations, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Etihad Airways, City's main sponsor since 2009, announced that it is considering legal action against the Premier League, accusing it of damaging its reputation without being allowed to respond.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
ShinyHunters first demanded that the bureau amend a public service announcement accusing the group of using “harassment strategies” and “pressure tactics” to extort victims.
From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2026
“You are accusing me of the crime. Me? I am innocent. I am absolutely innocent. Why should I want to kill a Monsieur whom I have never seen before?”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
