accused

American  

[uh-kyoozd] / əˈkyuzd /

adjective

1. charged with a crime, wrongdoing, fault, etc..

   the accused boy.

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noun

1. Often the accused a person or persons charged in a court of law with a crime, offense, etc.

accused British  

/ əˈkjuːzd /

noun

1. law the defendant or defendants appearing on a criminal charge

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Usage

What does accused mean? Accused is an adjective that 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. To accuse someone of something means to say that they are guilty of it. This can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing. But accused is most used in the context of the criminal justice system to indicate that a person has been officially charged with a crime. Example: The accused was escorted in the courtroom by police.

Other Word Forms

• misaccused
  adjective
• self-accused
  adjective
• unaccused
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of accused

First recorded in 1585–95; accuse + -ed ²

Example Sentences

After all, the only time any club had been accused of spying before resulted in a £200,000 fine.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Since 2018, the singer has been accused of defrauding the Spanish government in three cases, for the tax years 2011, 2012-2014 and 2018.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

After all, hadn’t he been sure that the four boys falsely accused of the crime—two of whom served more than nine years in prison for it—had been culpable, too?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

On Tuesday, rights groups and lawmakers accused ICE of violating the judge's decision by arresting a 21-year-old man in the halls of 26 Federal Plaza.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

The village court, disturbed in the middle of trying a man accused of short-weighting a pound of fish, froze in shock.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook