accused
B2Formal (legal); Neutral (general blame contexts)
Definition
Meaning
The individual or party formally charged with a crime in a court of law; or, having been blamed or charged with a fault or wrongdoing.
As a noun: the defendant(s) in a criminal trial. As an adjective (postpositive): described as being guilty of a specified fault. This usage can extend beyond legal contexts to general blame or criticism.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun is almost always used with the definite article 'the' and is treated as singular or plural depending on the number of defendants (e.g., 'The accused was silent.' / 'The accused were remanded.'). The participial adjective can precede a noun when part of a compound (e.g., 'the accused man') but is more commonly found after a linking verb (e.g., 'He was accused of theft').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core legal meaning. In informal contexts, British English may slightly more readily use 'charged with' for formal allegations, reserving 'accused of' for broader blame, but the distinction is subtle and not absolute.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term carries a serious connotation when used legally, implying a formal proceeding. In everyday use, it can range from playful to serious blame.
Frequency
High frequency in legal and news contexts. Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB: accuse [someone] of [something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stand accused”
- “accuse someone in absentia”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in contexts of corporate misconduct: 'The company was accused of breaching regulations.'
Academic
Common in legal, sociological, and historical texts discussing crime, justice, and social blame.
Everyday
Common for expressing blame or defence: 'Don't accuse me without proof!'
Technical
Core term in legal jargon, referring to the party against whom a criminal charge is brought.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The MP accused the minister of misleading the House.
- She accused him of nicking her phone.
American English
- The prosecutor accused the defendant of perjury.
- He accused his neighbor of stealing his newspaper.
adjective
British English
- The accused politician gave a statement to the press.
- The man accused of the robbery fled the country.
American English
- The accused shooter pleaded not guilty.
- The official accused of corruption was suspended.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He was accused of taking my book.
- The teacher accused the boy of talking in class.
- The police accused the driver of causing the accident.
- She felt unfairly accused of making the mistake.
- The journalist was accused of bias in her reporting.
- The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges in court today.
- The regime has been repeatedly accused of committing human rights abuses.
- The defence counsel argued that the accused had been denied due process.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CUE card in court: the person holding the 'A-C-C-U-S-E-D' cue is the one being blamed.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A SCALE, BLAME IS A WEIGHT: The accused carries the weight of the allegation.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque of обвиняемый as an adjective before a noun in non-legal contexts (e.g., 'the accused man' is less common than 'the man accused').
- Do not use 'accused' for general criticism without an 'of' phrase (Incorrect: 'He accused me.' Correct: 'He accused me of cheating.')
- Note that 'the accused' is a fixed noun phrase; don't say 'an accused' for a single person.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'accuse for' instead of 'accuse of'.
- Using 'the accused' without 'the'.
- Treating 'the accused' as always plural.
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, which of the following is the most precise synonym for 'the accused'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. It is treated as singular when referring to one person ('The accused is present.') and plural when referring to multiple people ('The accused are being held.').
The verb 'accuse' is followed by the preposition 'of' (e.g., accuse someone of a crime).
It is not common as a prepositive adjective. We typically say 'the accused man' only in journalistic or legal headlines. In standard prose, the participial form usually follows the noun (e.g., 'the man accused of the crime').
'Accused' implies a formal allegation or charge, often in a legal or official context. 'Suspected' indicates a belief or suspicion without a formal charge.