# accusing

/əkˈjuzɪŋ/ (US) · /ɐkjˈuːzɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. showing blame

adjective · CEFR B1

showing that you think someone has done something bad or illegal.

For teachers: expressing or suggesting a belief in someone's guilt or wrongdoing through tone, gesture, or expression.

- She gave him an accusing look when she saw the broken vase on the floor.
- The prosecutor maintained an accusing tone throughout the cross-examination, pointedly highlighting the inconsistencies in the witness's timeline.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it describes, such as 'look', 'tone', or 'finger'.

### 2. blaming someone

verb · CEFR B1

the act of saying that someone has done something wrong.

For teachers: the present participle of 'accuse', used to form continuous tenses or as a participle phrase.

- They are accusing him of stealing the money from the office safe.
- By accusing the board of negligence, the shareholders triggered a mandatory internal investigation into the company's financial practices.

Usage: When used as a verb, it is typically followed by the preposition 'of'.

### 3. the act of blaming

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of blaming someone or making an accusation.

For teachers: the gerund form of the verb, representing the abstract act of making a charge or claim of wrongdoing.

- Constant accusing will not help us solve the problem.
- The endless accusing between the two political factions made it impossible to reach a meaningful compromise on the budget.

Usage: Functions as the subject or object of a sentence.

## Examples

- She is accusing him of stealing her phone.
- The manager is accusing the new employee of being late three times this week without a valid reason.
- While the prosecutor is accusing the defendant of premeditated fraud, the defense argues that the financial discrepancies were merely the result of administrative negligence.

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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.