accusation

A1C3C3U1S1A1T1I1O1N1
US, UK/ˌæk.jʊˈzeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/

noun

The act of accusing.

“a blind accusation”

Similar
allegationassertioncensurechargecriminationdetectionimpeachmentaccusal
OriginMiddle English accusacion ← Old French acusacion ← Latin accūsātiō →
Less commonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounaccusation (countable and uncountable, plural accusations)

plural accusations · alternative obsolete accusacion · alternative obsolete accusasiowne

  1. countableuncountableThe act of accusing.

    We come not by the way of accusation / To taint that honour every good tongue blesses.

    1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]
  2. countableuncountablelawA formal charge brought against a person in a court of law.

    [They] set up over his head his accusation.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 27:37
  3. countableuncountableAn allegation.

    a blind accusation

    3 more examples

    ungrounded accusations

    repeated accusations

    an accusation of a crime

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
allegationassertioncensurechargecriminationdetectionimpeachment

nouna formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt

Similar
accusal
Broader
chargecomplaint

nounan assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence

Similar
charge
Broader
assertionavermentasseveration
Also see
accusalallegationassertionchargedelationdetectionkategoria

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinaccūsātiō“accusation, indictment”
  2. Old Frenchacusacion
  3. Middle Englishaccusacion
  4. Englishaccusation

First attested in the late 14th century. Inherited from Middle English accusacion, borrowed from Old French acusacion (French: accusation), from Latin accūsātiō (“accusation, indictment”), from accūsō (“blame, accuse”). Doublet of accusatio. More at accuse. Equivalent to accuse + -ation.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek κατηγορία, ἔγκλημα
  • κατηγορία (katēgoría)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • ἔγκλημα (énklēma)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • κατηγορία (katēgoría)that of which one is accused
Arabic اِتِّهَام, اِتِّهَام
  • اِتِّهَام (ittihām)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • اِتِّهَام (ittihām)that of which one is accused
  • تُهْمَة (tuhma)that of which one is accused
Bulgarian обвине́ние, обвине́ние
  • обвине́ние (obvinénie)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • обвине́ние (obvinénie)that of which one is accused
  • обвине́ние (obvinénie)declaration of fault or blame against another
Catalan acusació, acusació
  • acusacióact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • acusacióthat of which one is accused
  • acusaciódeclaration of fault or blame against another
Chinese Mandarin 控告, 指控
  • 控告 (kònggào)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • 指控 (zhǐkòng)act of accusing or charging with a crime
Czech obvinění, obvinění
  • obviněníact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • obviněníthat of which one is accused
  • obviněnídeclaration of fault or blame against another
Danish anklage, beskyldning
  • anklageact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • beskyldningact of accusing or charging with a crime
Dutch beschuldiging
  • beschuldigingact of accusing or charging with a crime
Esperanto akuzo
  • akuzoact of accusing or charging with a crime
Finnish syyttäminen, syyte
  • syyttäminenact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • syyteact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • syytethat of which one is accused
  • syytedeclaration of fault or blame against another
  • syytösdeclaration of fault or blame against another
French accusation, accusation
  • accusationact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • accusationthat of which one is accused
  • accusationdeclaration of fault or blame against another
German Anklage, Beschuldigung
  • Anklageact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • Beschuldigungact of accusing or charging with a crime
Greek κατηγορία, κατηγορία
  • κατηγορία (katigoría)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • κατηγορία (katigoría)that of which one is accused
  • κατηγορία (katigoría)declaration of fault or blame against another
Hebrew אישום, האשמה
  • אישום (ishúm)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • האשמה (haashamá)act of accusing or charging with a crime
Hindi आरोप, अभियोग
  • आरोप (ārop)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • अभियोग (abhiyog)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • लांछन (lāñchan)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • आरोप (ārop)that of which one is accused
  • आरोप (ārop)declaration of fault or blame against another
Hungarian vád, vádemelés
  • vádact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • vádemelésact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • megvádolásact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • vádthat of which one is accused
  • vádpontthat of which one is accused
Indonesian penuduhan, tuduhan
  • penuduhanact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • tuduhanthat of which one is accused
Italian accusa
  • accusaact of accusing or charging with a crime
Japanese 告発, 言いがかり
  • 告発 (kokuhatsu)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • 言いがかり (iigakari)that of which one is accused
  • 告発 (kokuhatsu)declaration of fault or blame against another
Korean 고발
  • 고발 (gobal)act of accusing or charging with a crime
Latin accūsātiō, accūsātiō
  • accūsātiōact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • accūsātiōthat of which one is accused
  • accūsātiōdeclaration of fault or blame against another
Māori heitara, kupu whakapae
  • heitarathat of which one is accused
  • kupu whakapaedeclaration of fault or blame against another
  • heitaradeclaration of fault or blame against another
Norwegian Bokmål anklage, beskyldning
  • anklageact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • beskyldningact of accusing or charging with a crime
Persian اتهام
  • اتهام (ettehâm)act of accusing or charging with a crime
Polish oskarżenie, oskarżenie
  • oskarżenieact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • oskarżeniethat of which one is accused
  • oskarżeniedeclaration of fault or blame against another
Portuguese acusação, acusação
  • acusaçãoact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • acusaçãothat of which one is accused
  • acusaçãodeclaration of fault or blame against another
Romanian acuzație, învinovățire
  • acuzațieact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • învinovățireact of accusing or charging with a crime
Russian обвине́ние, обвине́ние
  • обвине́ние (obvinénije)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • обвине́ние (obvinénije)that of which one is accused
  • обвине́ние (obvinénije)declaration of fault or blame against another
Slovak obvinenie
  • obvinenieact of accusing or charging with a crime
Spanish acusación, acusación
  • acusaciónact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • acusacióndeclaration of fault or blame against another
Swahili madai, madai
  • madaiact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • madaithat of which one is accused
  • mashitakathat of which one is accused
  • madaideclaration of fault or blame against another
  • shutumadeclaration of fault or blame against another
Swedish anklagelse, anklagan
  • anklagelseact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • anklaganact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • beskyllningact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • anklagelsedeclaration of fault or blame against another
Tagalog bintang, akusasyon
  • bintangact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • akusasyonact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • paratangthat of which one is accused
  • paratangdeclaration of fault or blame against another
  • bintangdeclaration of fault or blame against another
Turkish suçlama, iddianame
  • suçlamaact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • iddianameact of accusing or charging with a crime
Ukrainian звинува́чення, звинува́чення
  • звинува́чення (zvynuváčennja)act of accusing or charging with a crime
  • звинува́чення (zvynuváčennja)declaration of fault or blame against another
  • за́кид (zákyd)declaration of fault or blame against another
Vietnamese sự buộc tội
  • sự buộc tộiact of accusing or charging with a crime
Welsh cyhuddo, cyhuddiad
  • cyhuddoact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • cyhuddiadact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • aciwsasiwnact of accusing or charging with a crime
  • cyhuddiadthat of which one is accused
  • achwyniadthat of which one is accused
  • cyhuddiaddeclaration of fault or blame against another

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with accusation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →

Anagrams

anacoustic
Cite this entry
APA

accusation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accusation

MLA

“accusation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accusation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “accusation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/accusation.

Source: accusation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.