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

Start with the federal indictment last week of New York Attorney General Letitia James for bank fraud.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Halligan’s indictment Thursday of New York Attorney General Letitia James on allegations of mortgage fraud came faster than even some of her allies were expecting.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

After a grand jury returns an indictment at the request of a prosecutor, the accused appears in court for their arraignment.

Read more on Salon

Last year, the California attorney general’s office won indictments against 30 officers who either orchestrated or allowed youths to engage in “gladiator fights.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The charges stem from James’s 2020 purchase of a three-bedroom home in Norfolk, Va., obtaining favorable terms on a loan by claiming the property was her secondary residence, the indictment says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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.