Standard Lemma guide

incriminate

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • ĭn-krĭm′ĭ-nāt
  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɪnˈkɹɪm.ɪ.neɪ̯t/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ɪnˈkɹɪm.ɪ.næɪ̯t/
  • New-Zealand: /ənˈkɹəm.ə.næɪ̯t/
  • Scotland: /ɪnˈkɹɪm.ɪ.net/
  • rhymes with -ɪmɪneɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N K R IH1 M AH0 N EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To accuse or bring criminal charges against.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The newspapers incriminated the innocent man unjustly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: criminate, inculpate, indict

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To indicate the guilt of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • We have all sorts of evidence which incriminates you.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

bring an accusation against; level a charge against

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The neighbors accused the man of spousal abuse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: accuse, impeach, criminate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: charge, accuse

Narrower terms: reproach, upbraid, arraign, recriminate, charge, lodge, file

4

verb

Meaning 4

suggest that someone is guilty

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: imply, inculpate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: suggest, evoke, paint a picture

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin incrīminātus, perfect passive participle of Latin incrīminō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). First attested in 1736. By surface analysis, in- + criminate.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: inculpar — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Finnish: syyttää — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • German: beschuldigen — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Greek: ενοχοποιώ (enochopoió) — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Hebrew: הפליל (hiflíl) — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Irish: ciontaigh — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Polish: inkryminować — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Polish: obwiniać — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Polish: obwinić — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Polish: oskarżać — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Polish: oskarżyć — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Portuguese: incriminar — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Romanian: incrimina — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Spanish: incriminar — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Spanish: acriminar — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Ukrainian: інкримінува́ти (inkryminuváty) — to accuse or bring criminal charges against
  • Catalan: incriminar — to indicate the guilt of
  • Finnish: osoittaa syylliseksi — to indicate the guilt of
  • Finnish: viitata syyllisyyteen — to indicate the guilt of
  • German: belasten — to indicate the guilt of
  • Māori: whakahīrau — to indicate the guilt of
  • Polish: obciążać — to indicate the guilt of
  • Polish: obciążyć — to indicate the guilt of
  • Portuguese: incriminar — to indicate the guilt of
  • Romanian: incrimina — to indicate the guilt of
  • Romanian: inculpa — to indicate the guilt of