accusation

noun

ac·​cu·​sa·​tion ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən 

-(ˌ)kyü-

1

: a charge of wrongdoing

The evidence confirms the accusations made against him.

She denied the accusation.

2

: the act of accusing someone : the state or fact of being accused

Examples of accusation in a Sentence

Investigators have made accusations of corruption against a group of former officials.

The police are investigating serious accusations of wrongdoing.

He denied the accusation that he had lied to the police.

There was a hint of accusation in his voice when he asked her where she had been.

Recent Examples on the Web

What to Know: The Tates, facing multiple criminal charges in Romania including human trafficking and money laundering, have denied all accusations. —Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025

Trump has since conceded that Russia invaded Ukraine and retracted his accusation that Zelenskyy is a dictator. —Katya Soldak, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

This includes accusations of Cooper sharing a deepfake pornographic video of the rapper in June 2024, claiming the rapper had a drinking problem, claiming Pete was lying about being shot despite Peterson’s conviction, and allegedly attempting to pull information on Pete’s father in June 2024. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 25 Feb. 2025

Dou’s finely detailed account of the 2018 detention of Ren’s daughter Meng Wanzhou in Canada, and the evidentiary paper trail supporting accusations of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud, is particularly vivid. —Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English accusacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin accūsātiōn-, accūsātiō, from accūsāre "to blame, charge with a crime" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at accuse

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing accusation

• counter-accusation
• self-accusation

Rhymes for accusation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation
• adaptation

Kids Definition

accusation

noun

ac·​cu·​sa·​tion ˌak-yə-ˈzā-shən 

-yü-

1

: the act of accusing : the fact of being accused

2

: a charge of wrongdoing

Legal Definition

accusation

noun

ac·​cu·​sa·​tion ˌa-kyə-ˈzā-shən 

1

: a formal charge of wrongdoing, delinquency, or fault

the accused shall enjoy the right…to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation

—U.S. Constitution amend. VI

compare allegation, indictment, information

2

: the offense or fault of which one is accused

the accusation was murder