# impeached

/ˌɪmˈpitʃt/ (US) · /ɪmpˈiːtʃt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impeached
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

charged with a serious crime while in a high government position. It is the first step in a process to decide if a leader should be removed from their job.

For teachers: past participle of 'impeach'; refers to the formal charging of a public official with misconduct in office. Often followed by the preposition 'for' to specify the alleged offense.

## Examples

- The president was impeached for his actions.
- After a long investigation, the official was impeached by the legislature for misuse of public funds.
- History shows that even when a leader is impeached by the lower house, they are not always convicted and removed from office by the upper house.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He was impeached from his job" but "He was impeached for his crimes" — Impeachment is the act of charging someone with a crime, not the act of removing them from a position; use 'removed from' for the latter.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and typically used in the passive voice in political contexts.

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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.