implicate
v.v. to suggest that someone is responsible for something bad without saying it directly. You use this when a fact or a story makes you think a person did something wrong.
v. to suggest or indicate that someone is responsible for a particular action or event without explicitly stating it. Often used in legal or philosophical contexts to describe the logical connection between evidence and a suspect.
The evidence implicates him in the crime.
The witness's testimony implicates several high-ranking officials in the cover-up.
While the data does not directly prove guilt, it strongly implicates the company in the environmental disaster by showing a clear pattern of negligence.
First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin implicātus, perfect passive participle of implicō (“to entangle, involve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from plicō (“to fold”). Doublet of imply and employ.
First attested in the first part of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; incolved, connected (with)”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix), -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.