# impeach

/ˌɪmˈpitʃ/ (US) · /ɪmpˈiːtʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impeach
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to charge a public official

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to officially charge a high-level government leader with a crime while they are still in office.

For teachers: to bring a formal accusation of misconduct against a public official, such as a president or judge, as the first step toward potential removal from office.

- The parliament decided to impeach the president for breaking the country's laws.
- Constitutional experts debated whether the evidence was sufficient to impeach the official for high crimes and misdemeanours.

Usage: This verb is transitive and typically used in the passive voice in news reports.

### 2. to challenge credibility

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to show that someone's words or character should not be trusted, especially in a court of law.

For teachers: to challenge the honesty or credibility of a witness or their testimony during a legal proceeding.

- The lawyer tried to impeach the witness by showing he had lied before.
- The defence sought to impeach the witness's testimony by introducing a prior inconsistent statement made during the initial deposition.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'impeach a witness' or 'impeach testimony'.

### 3. to call into question

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to doubt or express suspicion about the quality or truth of something.

For teachers: to call into question the integrity or validity of a non-legal matter, such as a report or a reputation.

- No one could impeach her reputation for honesty after so many years of service.
- The new findings do not necessarily impeach the results of the original study, but they do suggest a need for further review.

## Examples

- The legislature voted to impeach the governor for corruption.
- Legal experts debated whether the official's actions met the constitutional requirements to impeach a sitting president.
- While the power to impeach is a vital check on executive authority, the process requires a high burden of proof to ensure it is not used for purely partisan motivations.

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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.