accuse
Americanverb (used with object)
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accuses,
present (3rd person singular)
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accused,
past participle, past
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accusing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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accuses,
present (3rd person singular)
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accused,
past participle, past
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accusing
present participle
verb
Usage
What does accuse mean? To accuse someone means to say that they are guilty of a crime or offense. This can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing. But accuse is also used in a legal context in the sense of accusing a person of a crime, especially in an official way. Accuse is often followed by the person being accused, the word of, and the specific wrongdoing, as in The teacher accused Ted of cheating. It’s also commonly used in a passive way, as in Ted was accused of cheating. When you accuse someone of something, you’re making an accusation. A person who accuses is called an accuser (especially when the accusation involves a crime). The adjective accused 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. Statements that suggest or outright say that someone did something wrong can be described as accusatory. Example: If you’re going to accuse them of something that serious, you better have some evidence to back it up.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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accusantnoun
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accusernoun
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interaccuseverb (used with object)
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preaccuseverb (used with object)
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reaccuseverb (used with object)
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accusableadjective
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accusingadjective
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nonaccusingadjective
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self-accusingadjective
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unaccusableadjective
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unaccusingadjective
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accusablyadverb
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accusinglyadverb
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unaccusinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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accusesimple
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accusessimple
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have accusedperfect
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has accusedperfect
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am accusingprogressive
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are accusingprogressive
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is accusingprogressive
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have been accusingperfect progressive
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has been accusingperfect progressive
Past
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accusedsimple
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had accusedperfect
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was accusingprogressive
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were accusingprogressive
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had been accusingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of accuse
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ac(c)usen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsāre “to call to account,” from ac- ac- + cūs-, combining form of causa “case, reason, sake” ( see cause) + āre, infinitive suffix
Explanation
If you charge someone with misdeeds or misconduct, you accuse that person. If the last piece of devil's food cake is missing, your sister may accuse you of eating it — especially if you have chocolate on your mouth. The verb accuse comes from the Latin word accusare, which itself is formed from the roots ad, meaning toward, and causa, reason or lawsuit. "Cause," "excuse," and even "ruse" are all from that same root word. Today, if you're accused of a crime, you may still be headed toward a lawsuit. However, to accuse someone of a crime doesn't necessarily make them guilty — plenty of people have been falsely accused.
Vocabulary lists containing accuse
Wasn't Me: The Lingo of Laying Blame
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dead End in Norvelt
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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.
See Examples For:
The 48-year-old lawyer has defended underworld figures, among them Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman whom U.S. officials accuse of laundering money for then-Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The letter does not accuse the companies of wrongdoing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Punjab's three main opposition parties - the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP - accuse the AAP government of rushing the law through the assembly without properly consulting Sikh religious institutions.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
However, they did not accuse any of the defendants of firing the deadly shot.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
He didn’t dare accuse her for fear she would go away.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
The United States also accuses the company of procuring military-related goods from Russia and China.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Jane Doe’s original suit accuses the publisher of negligence for failing to fact-check and verify the statements in Griffin’s memoir.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
The lawsuit accuses Blanche and the DOJ of perpetuating “that disgrace” of failing to investigate or hold Epstein accountable before his death.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Unified, which he accuses of violating the law by allegedly using arts funding for other purposes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Luz accuses Ivanito of repeating their mother’s pretentious phrases, of saying things like “The moon glares with a vivid indifference.”
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil sat down with Mopreme Shakur, Tupac Shakur's stepbrother, ahead of opening statements on Monday in trial of the man accused of killing the rapper.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
In his filings, he accused successor trustee Paul Kanin of failing to pay out cash Reiner claims he was owed as far back as fall 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Walter and his businesses haven’t been accused of any crimes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
The ministry did not say how many people were arrested but said they included three former senior government officials accused of "providing technical services aimed at disrupting the electoral system".
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The Count of Monte Cristo. Another great Dumas book. An innocent man is betrayed, accused of treason, imprisoned, and after many long years, escapes. Napoleon, jealous of General Dumas, sent him to jail.”
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Families of deployed sailors have pushed back, accusing Trump and Hegseth of dismissing what their loved ones have experienced aboard the ship.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
France has summoned the American ambassador to Paris after the diplomat, Charles Kushner, wrote a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron accusing the country of not doing enough to combat antisemitism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Viewers were shocked by the price tag for a 5-year-old, accusing the post of promoting excessive consumerism.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Davies-Jones resigned from former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government in May, later accusing his government of failing to listen to Epstein's survivors.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Autumn beats me by a split second, but that doesn’t stop us from accusing each other of cheating anyway.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
