accuse

[ uh-kyooz ]

/ əˈkyuz /

verb (used with object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed by of): He accused him of murder.

to find fault with; blame.

verb (used without object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

Nearby words

accusation, accusatival, accusative, accusatorial, accusatory, accuse, accused, accuser, accustom, accustomed, accustomed to

Origin of accuse

1250–1300; Middle English ac(c)usen < Old French acuser < Latin accūsāre to call to account (ac- ac- + -cūs-, combining form of caus-; see cause)

SYNONYMS FOR accuse

1 arraign, indict; incriminate, impeach.

ANTONYMS FOR accuse

1, 2 exonerate.

Related forms

ac·cus·a·ble, adjectiveac·cus·a·bly, adverbac·cus·ant, nounac·cus·ing·ly, adverb

in·ter·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), in·ter·ac·cused, in·ter·ac·cus·ing.non·ac·cus·ing, adjectivepre·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), pre·ac·cused, pre·ac·cus·ing.re·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), re·ac·cused, re·ac·cus·ing.self-ac·cus·ing, adjectiveun·ac·cus·a·ble, adjectiveun·ac·cus·ing, adjectiveun·ac·cus·ing·ly, adverb

Can be confused

accuse allege charge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for accusingly

“You managed to upset,” said Lora Moore, accusingly, and pretty Posy changed the subject.
The Deep Lake Mystery|Carolyn Wells
"I bet I know what this is leading up to," cried Bobby, accusingly.
The Honorable Percival|Alice Hegan Rice
After Rosemary had gone to the door with him and come back Ellen rose and looked at her accusingly.
Rainbow Valley|Lucy Maud Montgomery
"The God of the individualist," he said at length—musingly, not accusingly.
The Inside of the Cup, Complete|Winston Churchill

"Pedro, you're one of Beasley's old hands," said Las Vegas, accusingly.
The Man of the Forest|Zane Grey

British Dictionary definitions for accusingly

accuse

/ (əˈkjuːz) /

verb

to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame

Derived Forms

accuser, nounaccusing, adjectiveaccusingly, adverb

Word Origin for accuse

C13: via Old French from Latin accūsāre to call to account, from ad- to + causa lawsuit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012