# impeachment

/ˌɪmˈpitʃmənt/ (US) · /ɪmpˈiːtʃmənt/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. legal charge against an official

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the formal process of charging a high official, like a president, with a crime while they are in office.

For teachers: the formal process by which a legislative body initiates charges against a high-ranking government official for misconduct.

- The news reported on the impeachment of the president for breaking the law.
- The constitutional process of impeachment serves as a critical check on executive power, ensuring that no official is immune from legal accountability.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by the official's title or name.

### 2. challenging a witness

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the act of showing that a witness in court is not telling the truth or cannot be trusted.

For teachers: the act of challenging the honesty or credibility of a witness during a trial, often by presenting prior inconsistent statements.

- The lawyer worked on the impeachment of the witness to win the case.
- The defense attorney focused on the impeachment of the star witness by highlighting several contradictions in his previous testimony.

Usage: Commonly appears in the phrase 'impeachment of a witness'.

### 3. hindrance or obstruction

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

something that gets in the way or stops progress.

For teachers: a physical or metaphorical hindrance, impediment, or obstruction.

- The heavy snow was an impeachment to our travel plans.
- The rugged terrain proved a significant impeachment to the advancing army, slowing their progress toward the capital by several days.

Teaching tip: This sense is archaic; modern speakers almost exclusively use 'impeachment' in a legal or political context.

## Examples

- The committee voted to move forward with the impeachment.
- The constitution allows for the impeachment of the president if there is evidence of serious crimes or abuse of power.
- Legal scholars debated whether the articles of impeachment met the constitutional threshold of high crimes and misdemeanors required for a full trial in the upper house.

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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.