Definition

1. Verb:
   • To make someone appear guilty of a crime or wrongdoing; to suggest or show involvement in an illegal act: The core meaning involves presenting evidence or making statements that connect a person to a crime.
   • To accuse formally or informally: It can involve leveling a charge or bringing an accusation against someone.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The new evidence could incriminate the suspect. (It could show the suspect's involvement in the crime.)
  • She refused to answer questions, fearing her words might incriminate her. (She was afraid her answers would provide proof of her own guilt.)
  • The witness's testimony incriminated the company's CEO. (The testimony suggested the CEO was guilty.)

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: Often used in legal settings regarding evidence, testimony, or rights (e.g., the right against self-incrimination).
  • The defendant invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid incriminating himself.
• "Incriminate oneself": To say or do something that provides evidence of one's own guilt.
  • By lying to the police, he inadvertently incriminated himself.

Variants and Related Words

• Incrimination (noun): The act of incriminating or the state of being incriminated.
  • The incrimination of the official led to a public scandal.
• Incriminating (adjective): Serving to incriminate; suggesting guilt.
  • The police found incriminating documents in his office.
• Self-incrimination (noun): The act of implicating oneself in a crime.
  • The law protects citizens from forced self-incrimination.

Synonyms

• Accuse: To charge someone with an offense or crime.
• Implicate: To show or suggest involvement in something illegal or undesirable.
• Charge: To formally accuse someone of a crime.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To be/feel incriminated: To be made to feel or appear guilty.
  • He felt incriminated by the constant questioning, even though he was innocent.
• Incriminating evidence: Physical or testimonial proof that points toward someone's guilt.
  • The prosecutor presented the murder weapon as incriminating evidence.

Verb

1. bring an accusation against; level a charge against
   • The neighbors accused the man of spousal abuse
2. suggest that someone is guilty