# accusation

/ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/ (US) · /ˌækjuːzˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accusation
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a claim of wrongdoing

noun · CEFR B2

a statement saying that you believe someone has done something bad or illegal.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. a formal legal charge

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a formal statement in a court of law that says someone is guilty of a crime.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He denied the accusation that he stole the money.
- The lawyer presented evidence to support the accusation of fraud against the company director.
- The witness remained steadfast under cross-examination, refusing to retract her accusation despite the defense's attempts to discredit her memory of the incident.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.