Word
indictment
Phoneticsin·dict·ment
US/ˌɪnˈdaɪtmənt/
UK/ɪndˈaɪtmənt/
Definitions
01legal charge
n. a formal, written statement that accuses someone of a serious crime.
n. a formal written accusation as a preliminary step to a criminal trial, typically issued by a grand jury.
“The grand jury issued an indictment against the executive for fraud.”
“The federal indictment detailed twenty-four counts of conspiracy and money laundering, effectively ending the politician's career before the trial even began.”
Formal
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'for' followed by the crime, or 'against' followed by the person.
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02sign of failure
n. a sign that a system, situation, or way of life is very bad or failing.
n. an expression or piece of evidence that serves as a strong condemnation of a particular system or practice.
“The high poverty rate is a sad indictment of the country's economic system.”
“The report serves as a damning indictment of the prison system, highlighting systemic neglect and a total lack of rehabilitation resources.”
Formal
Usage
Commonly follows the pattern 'an indictment of' something.
Teaching tip
In this figurative sense, the word is often paired with adjectives like 'damning', 'sad', or 'scathing'.
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Real-World Examples
“Since 2020, Israeli civilians and soldiers have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians there, and there has been only one indictment over those deaths.” Etymology
18th-century Latinized respelling of Middle English endytement (“action of accusing”), from Anglo-Norman enditement, from enditer, from Late Latin indictāre, from Latin indictus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/indictment