inculpate

American  

[in-kuhl-payt, in-kuhl-payt] / ɪnˈkʌl peɪt, ˈɪn kʌl peɪt /

verb (used with object)

inculpated, inculpating

1. to charge with fault; blame; accuse.

   Antonyms:

   exonerate

2. to involve in a charge; incriminate.

   Antonyms:

   exonerate

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inculpate British  

/ ˈɪnkʌlˌpeɪt, ɪnˈkʌlpeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to incriminate; cause blame to be imputed to

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Other Word Forms

• inculpation
  noun
• inculpative
  adjective
• inculpatory
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of inculpate

First recorded in 1790–1800; from Late Latin inculpātus, past participle of inculpāre “to blame,” equivalent to Latin in- “in” + culp(a) “fault” + -ātus past participle suffix; see in- ², -ate ¹; cf. culpable

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inculpate inculpated inculpating

The phrase “more modern ways of thinking” may curdle the blood of the reader, who may brace for Ms. Lutz to inculpate her subject in matters of race, class and gender.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Nobody doubts that a clever jurist with a dictionary and a truckload of motivated reasoning can use the law to exculpate himself and inculpate others.

From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2023

Thomas said Samia did not deserve a new trial because the confession “did not directly inculpate the defendant and was subject to a proper limiting instruction.”

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 23, 2023

“This is particularly concerning given that the defendant is aware that Witness-1 has information that would tend to inculpate the defendant.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2023

This, they said, would put the false Lady Geraldine on her guard, and afford opportunity to destroy papers, or whatever else might be in existence to inculpate the Knight.

From The Knight of the Golden Melice A Historical Romance by John Turvill Adams

ITV separately agreed to pay Mr. McAlpine more than $200,000 for a program of its own that inculpated him.

From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2012

The rector inculpated the abbot, and each appealed to Rome, with what result is unknown.

From The Story of Paris by Katherine Kimball

At this reference the steward of the barony objected, as also against the depositions that inculpated Dan.

From The Deemster by Sir Hall Caine

Now began that clandestine correspondence which seems to have implicated and inculpated half the musicians of Europe.

From The Love Affairs of Great Musicians, Volume 2 by Rupert Hughes

He began to formulate excuses for her that inculpated himself.

From Mount Music by Martin Ross

On the contrary, she saw with deep pain how every one was busy in inculpating others, and in casting suspicions on royalists and Jacobins, so as to give a pretext to punish them.

From Empress Josephine An historical sketch of the days of Napoleon by L. (Luise) Mühlbach

You were then unwilling, as you are now unwilling, to exculpate yourself at the cost of inculpating one who is dear to you.

From A Siren by Thomas Adolphus Trollope

And he was so mortally offended, that he would have betrayed her to the courts even, if he had known how to do it without inculpating himself.

From The Clique of Gold by Émile Gaboriau

The Sub-Inspector perceived that, all the witnesses being tenants of Debendra Babu, there was no hope of getting them to stick to any statement inculpating him.

From Tales of Bengal by S. B. Banerjea

In one way or another he foresaw that it would be absolutely necessary to force the woman into making some definite statement either inculpating or exonerating the bishop in respect of Jentham's death.

From The Bishop's Secret by Fergus Hume

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