Accusations
/ˌækjuˈzeɪʃənz/
nounIntermediate📊CommonLegal/Action
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
A statement claiming someone has done something wrong or illegal.
/ˌækjuˈzeɪʃənz/
nounnegativeIntermediate
Legal/Action
A charge of wrongdoing; an assertion that someone has done something wrong.
The accusations against the mayor led to an investigation.
💡 Simply: Saying someone did something bad.
More Examples
2
He denied all accusations of misconduct.
How It's Used
Legal
"The defendant faced serious accusations of fraud."
Everyday Conversation
"Her accusations were unfounded and hurtful."
From Latin 'accusatio', meaning 'the act of accusing'. It evolved through Old French and Middle English.
The word's usage has remained relatively consistent throughout history, primarily focusing on legal and interpersonal contexts.
Memory tip
Think of 'accuse' – it's the act of making an accusation.
Word Origin
LanguageLatin
Original meaning
"to accuse"
Base: accuse
false accusationsserious accusationslevel accusationsbaseless accusations
Common misspellings
accusations
Practice
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written