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 

-ˈkrim-nə-

adjective

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

Examples of incriminate in a Sentence

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

As the details are sorted out, Justin has to figure out how to keep the jury from convicting an innocent man — most of them just want to get home for dinner — while not incriminating himself. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024

Prosecutors were prepared to present incriminating statements Kelly made on social media about the shooting had the case gone to trial. —Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 19 Oct. 2024

Now, the Dragon Queen has an additional $500 and a monkey to use in her machinations against Christopher, and Neville breaks into Christopher’s office and steals a potentially incriminating USB drive from a locked drawer. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2024

Pensacola police arrested Jeremy Lang on Oct. 14 and linked him to seven area church robberies through surveillance footage and his 'incriminating' iPhone search history. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024

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-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt 

incriminated; incriminating

1

: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault : accuse

2

: to cause to appear guilty of or responsible for something

evidence that tends to incriminate the defendant

incrimination

(ˌ)in-ˌkrim-ə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

incriminatory

in-ˈkrim-(ə-)nə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

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

in-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən 

noun

incriminatory

in-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌtōr-ē 

adjective