indict

verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

indicted; indicting; indicts

1

transitive + intransitive : to formally charge (someone) with a crime by the finding of a jury (such as a grand jury) : to formally accuse (someone) of a crime in an indictment

If either the IRS or the FBI decides a suspect has committed a crime, a lot of hurdles must be leaped before that individual is put in prison. The agents must gather evidence, persuade an independent prosecutor to present the evidence to a grand jury, make sure the evidence is convincing enough so that the grand jury will indict the suspect, and then present the evidence to a regular jury that decides whether the suspect is innocent or guilty.

—David Burnham

Traditionally the grand jury consisted of 23 persons with the favorable vote of a majority needed to indict. Today, many states use a somewhat smaller grand jury (e.g., 12) and some require more than a simple majority to indict.

—Wayne R. LaFave and Jerold H. Israel

2

transitive : To accuse (someone or something) of a weakness, failing, or wrong action

The relation between freedom and literacy became the compelling theme of the slave narratives, the great body of printed books that ex-slaves generated to assert their common humanity with white Americans and to indict the system that had oppressed them.

—Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Past studies have indicted high radon levels for an excess of lung cancers among underground hard-rock miners …

—J. Raloff

indicter noun

or indictor

in-ˈdī-tər 

Synonyms

• accuse
• charge
• criminate
• defame [archaic]
• impeach
• incriminate

Examples of indict in a Sentence

A grand jury is expected to indict him for murder.

the grand jury could indict the mayor for fraud and embezzlement

Recent Examples on the Web

Chris Johnson was indicted in January on more than 60 charges, including abuse to a dead body, abandonment of a dead body, theft by deception violation of vital records and insurance fraud, WALB and WSB-TV reported. —Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025

Cruz was indicted Thursday for second-degree murder in the 2:30 p.m. stabbing of the 36-year-old postman at Joe’s Grocery, on Lenox Rd. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2025

In early May, he was indicted, and an international manhunt ensued. —CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025

Carlos Frate, 40, of Kihei was arrested Jan. 21 after a federal grand jury indicted him in connection with deprivation of civil rights under color of law and making a false report, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District in Hawaii said in a Jan. 21 news release. —Sara Schilling, Sacramento Bee, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier indite, from Middle English inditen, from Anglo-French enditer to write, point out, indict — more at indite

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Video

Video: Why Is There a 'C' in 'Indict'?

And who put it there, anyway?

Kids Definition

indict

verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

: to charge with an offense or crime : accuse

indictable

-ə-bəl

adjective

Legal Definition

indict

transitive verb

in·​dict in-ˈdīt 

: to charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a grand jury in due form of law compare accuse, arraign, charge

Etymology

alteration of earlier indite, from Anglo-French enditer, from Old French, to write down, ultimately from Latin indicere to proclaim, from in- toward + dicere to say