accuse synonyms

accuse

v.

charge with, blame, censure, hold responsible, arraign, indict, impeach, prefer charges, file a claim, challenge, denounce, fault, find fault, attack, brand, impute, involve, inculpate, incriminate, implicate, summon, litigate, arrest, apprehend, sue, bring up on charges, press charges, prosecute, slander, libel, betray, tax, slur, cite, reprove, reproach, haul into court, bring into court, have the law on, inform against, hold accountable, bring proceedings against, bring charges against, appeal to law, bring to trial, serve with a summons, complain against, lodge a complaint, charge to, declaim against, recriminate, fix the responsibility for, connect with, cast blame upon, place to one's account, hall into court, hang something on*, pin something on*, put the finger on*, put the screws on*, smear*, pin the blame on*, hold against*, point the finger at*, fasten on*, lay at one's door*, throw in one's teeth*, bring home to*.

Antonyms vindicate*, exonerate*, pardon.

accuse means to find fault for offenses of varying gravity to accuse someone of murder, to accuse someone of carelessness; to charge is to make an accusation of a legal or formal nature the police charged her with jaywalking; indict describes the action of a grand jury and means to find a case against a person and order the person to be brought to trial; arraign means to call a person before a court to be informed of pending charges; impeach means to charge a public official with misconduct in office, but in nonlegal usage means to challenge a person's motives, credibility, etc.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.