incriminate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to accuse of or present proof of a crime or fault.
He incriminated both men to the grand jury.
-
to involve in an accusation; cause to be or appear to be guilty; implicate: He feared incriminating himself if he answered.
His testimony incriminated his friend.
He feared incriminating himself if he answered.
-
to charge with responsibility for all or part of an undesirable situation, harmful effect, etc..
to incriminate cigarettes as a cause of lung cancer.
verb
-
to imply or suggest the guilt or error of (someone)
-
to charge with a crime or fault
Other Word Forms
- incrimination noun
- incriminator noun
- incriminatory adjective
- nonincriminating adjective
- nonincrimination noun
- nonincriminatory adjective
- unincriminated adjective
- unincriminating adjective
Etymology
Origin of incriminate
First recorded in 1720–30; from Late Latin incrīminātus, past participle of incrīmināre “to accuse”; in- 2, criminate
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.
Instead, they relied on them for Comey’s indictment and ordered an FBI agent to dig through more of Richman’s personal files for anything incriminating.
From Salon
Mangione’s lawyers said the officer was trying to obtain an incriminating response.
Prosecutors pointed to the attorney general's decision to change his phone as incriminating.
From BBC
As the investigation into the scandal grew, a string of athletes were incriminated, including British sprinter Dwain Chambers.
From Barron's
He noted that the purportedly incriminating funding that NGOs were alleged to have received was already subject to systematic monitoring by the central bank.
From Barron's
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.
