Word
accusation
Phoneticsac·cu·sa·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
UK/ˌækjuːzˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01a claim of wrongdoing
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a statement saying that you believe someone has done something bad or illegal.
n. the act of blaming or a statement containing such blame; often used with the preposition 'of'.
“He denied the accusation that he had stolen the money from the office.”
“The manager faced a serious accusation of professional misconduct after several employees reported his behavior to the board.”
Usage
Commonly follows the pattern 'accusation of' followed by a noun or gerund.
Pitfall
She made an accusation about him for lying.
She made an accusation of lying against him.
The standard pattern is 'accusation of [action]' or 'accusation against [person]'.
Synonyms
02a formal legal charge
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a formal statement in a court of law that says someone is guilty of a crime.
n. a formal criminal charge brought against a defendant in a legal proceeding.
“The police dropped the accusation when they found new evidence.”
“The prosecution struggled to provide sufficient evidence to support the accusation of fraud against the former executive.”
Usage
In legal contexts, this refers specifically to the formal document or statement of charges.
Teaching tip
While 'accusation' is used in general English, 'indictment' or 'charge' is often more precise in a professional legal setting.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “accusation” in context.
Verb
01. deny the accusation
“The politician issued a formal statement to deny the accusation of corruption.”
verb + noun
02. level an accusation at
“Several former employees leveled an accusation of negligence at the company's board.”
verb + noun + prep
03. refute the accusation
“The defense lawyer presented evidence to refute the accusation against his client.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. baseless accusation
“She was deeply hurt by the baseless accusation that she had cheated on the exam.”
adj + noun
05. grave accusation
“Treason is a grave accusation that carries severe legal consequences.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. accusation of bribery
“The CEO resigned immediately following the accusation of bribery.”
noun + of + noun
07. accusation that-clause
“He was angered by the accusation that he had leaked confidential documents.”
noun + that-clause
Preposition
08. under accusation
“The minister remained under accusation for months while the inquiry proceeded.”
prep + noun
09. accusations of plagiarism
10. accusations speculation
Real-World Examples
“Al Jazeera has reached out to the Israeli authorities for comment on the attacks on Taybeh, and the accusations that their response has not been sufficient, but has yet to receive a response.” “The accusations against Bruno Foucher prompted investigations into a potential security breach.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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