incriminate
verb
in·crim·i·nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt 
incriminated; incriminating
transitive verb
: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault
incrimination
in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən
noun incriminatory
in-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective -ˈkrim-nə-
Did you know?
Testimony may incriminate a suspect by placing him at the scene of a crime, and incriminating evidence is the kind that strongly links him to it. But the word doesn't always refer to an actual crime. We can say, for instance, that a virus has been incriminated as the cause of a type of cancer, or that video games have been incriminated in the decline in study skills among young people.
Synonyms
- accuse
- charge
- criminate
- defame [archaic]
- impeach
- indict
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Material found at the crime scene incriminates the defendant. in exchange for a reduced sentence, the thief agreed to incriminate his accomplice
Recent Examples on the Web Many of the posts contained baseless claims suggesting President Joe Biden ordered the FBI to search Trump's home, or that the FBI planted evidence to incriminate Trump. 
David Klepper, ajc, 16 Aug. 2022 The network has also presented commentators and Trump’s Republican allies who have suggested that the FBI planted evidence to incriminate the former president. Stephen Battagliostaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 And on top of that, documents that might incriminate him in federal crimes? Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2022 Now that the US Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, Americans are raising concerns about what data police and prosecutors could access to incriminate people who seek abortions, which has happened before. Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 30 June 2022 But in court on Wednesday, an attorney for the Laundrie family argued that the family's lawyer may not have had information that Gabby was dead — and that the family was asserting their fifth amendment rights to not incriminate themselves. Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, 22 June 2022 The episode raised questions about whether Trump and his allies may, implicitly or explicitly, be pressuring witnesses to hold back crucial information that might incriminate or cast a negative light on the former president. Luke Broadwater, Maggie Haberman, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2022 The episode raised questions about whether Mr. Trump and his allies may, implicitly or explicitly, be pressuring witnesses to hold back crucial information that might incriminate or cast a negative light on the former president. New York Times, 30 June 2022 Even fitness trackers can produce sensitive health information that may be used to incriminate pregnant people. Louise Matsakis, NBC News, 11 May 2022 See More
David Klepper, ajc, 16 Aug. 2022 The network has also presented commentators and Trump’s Republican allies who have suggested that the FBI planted evidence to incriminate the former president. Stephen Battagliostaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 And on top of that, documents that might incriminate him in federal crimes? Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2022 Now that the US Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, Americans are raising concerns about what data police and prosecutors could access to incriminate people who seek abortions, which has happened before. Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 30 June 2022 But in court on Wednesday, an attorney for the Laundrie family argued that the family's lawyer may not have had information that Gabby was dead — and that the family was asserting their fifth amendment rights to not incriminate themselves. Steve Helling, PEOPLE.com, 22 June 2022 The episode raised questions about whether Trump and his allies may, implicitly or explicitly, be pressuring witnesses to hold back crucial information that might incriminate or cast a negative light on the former president. Luke Broadwater, Maggie Haberman, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2022 The episode raised questions about whether Mr. Trump and his allies may, implicitly or explicitly, be pressuring witnesses to hold back crucial information that might incriminate or cast a negative light on the former president. New York Times, 30 June 2022 Even fitness trackers can produce sensitive health information that may be used to incriminate pregnant people. Louise Matsakis, NBC News, 11 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Late Latin incriminatus, past participle of incriminare, from Latin in- + crimin-, crimen crime
First Known Use
circa 1736, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
incriminate
verb
in·crim·i·nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt
incriminated; incriminating
: to make (someone) appear guilty of or responsible for something
… the story of how it had fallen into his hands incriminated not only him, but his own father … J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Legal Definition
incriminate
transitive verb
in·crim·i·nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt
incriminated; incriminating
1
: to charge with involvement in a crime
he was incriminated in the conspiracy
2
: to suggest or show involvement of in a crime
among the evidence that incriminated him was a box of trigger devices
see also self-incrimination incrimination
noun
as in recrimination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- recrimination
- indictment
- accusation
- allegation
- crimination
- count
- complaint
- plea
- impeachment
- imputation
- condemnation
- charge
- rap
- insinuation
- implication
- innuendo
- censure
- countercharge
- denunciation
- arraignment
- counteraccusation