Word
accusation
Meanings
A claim that someone has done something wrong or illegal.
A formal charge or allegation made in an official setting, such as by authorities or an organization.
Definition
An accusation is a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal.
An accusation is a claim that a person is responsible for a wrongdoing, such as dishonesty, misconduct, or a crime. It can be made formally in an official process or informally in everyday conversation. An accusation is not the same as proof, so it may be true or false until supported by evidence.
Examples
- The manager treated the accusation seriously and asked for evidence before drawing any conclusions.
- I was stunned by the accusation and asked them to explain exactly what they meant.
- After the accusation spread online, she issued a calm statement and refused to escalate the conflict.
- They denied the accusation outright, but they still agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "accusation" with "excuse" and say "make an accusation" when they mean "make an excuse."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …