recriminate

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/ɹɪˈkɹɪmɪneɪt/

verb

To accuse in return, state an accusation in return, make a countercharge.

“Tom said Harry had lied, and Harry recriminated by saying Tom had manipulated him.”

OriginLatin recrīminātus →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

verbrecriminate (third-person singular simple present recriminates, present participle recriminating, simple past and past participle recriminated)

present singular third person recriminates · participle present recriminating · participle past recriminated · past recriminated

  1. ambitransitiveTo accuse in return, state an accusation in return, make a countercharge.

    Tom said Harry had lied, and Harry recriminated by saying Tom had manipulated him.

    2 more examples

    It is not my business to recriminate, hoping sufficiently to clear myself in this matter.

    1676, Edward Stillingfleet, A Defence of the Discourse Concerning the Idolatry Practised in the Church

    Besides, he might come and begin a string of abuse or complainings; I’m certain I should recriminate, and God knows where we should end!

    1847, Emily Brontë, chapter XI, in Wuthering Heights

Origin

  1. Latinrecrīminātus
  2. Englishrecriminate

From Latin recrīminātus, past participle of recrīminō. By surface analysis, re- + criminate.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish esittää vastasyytös
  • esittää vastasyytösto accuse in return
French récriminer
  • récriminerto accuse in return
German im Gegenzug beschuldigen, Gegenbeschuldigungen erheben
  • im Gegenzug beschuldigento accuse in return
  • Gegenbeschuldigungen erhebento accuse in return
  • gegenbeschuldigento accuse in return
  • entgegnento accuse in return
  • zurückwerfento accuse in return
Greek αντικατηγορώ
  • αντικατηγορώ (antikatigoró)to accuse in return
Hungarian viszontvádol
  • viszontvádolto accuse in return
Māori whakawāwā
  • whakawāwāto accuse in return
Polish obwiniać się nawzajem
  • obwiniać się nawzajemto accuse in return
Spanish recriminar
  • recriminarto accuse in return
Cite this entry
APA

recriminate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recriminate

MLA

“recriminate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recriminate. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “recriminate,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/recriminate.

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