incriminate

verb

in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio)
incriminated; incriminating

transitive verb

: to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault
incrimination noun
incriminatory 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.

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 Each time, potentially incriminating details are shorn away, and a painful human story is rendered meaningless by the bland language of corporate imperatives. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024 The maneuver is designed to initiate a voluntary encounter with motorists, potentially leading to them offering incriminating information. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 Discovery is an important part of trial preparation because defense lawyers look not just for any incriminating evidence, but for anything exculpatory that might help the person’s defense. Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Trump is charged with allegedly suggesting his lawyer hide or destroy evidence, instructing aides to hide classified documents and trying to delete incriminating video. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 Still, the judge let the incriminating journal and text messages in, setting the stage for what legal experts predict will be a successful appeal. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 11 Feb. 2024 That teen has made incriminating statements about Lord's death, according to an interview and a social post. The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 Memory figured heavily in Dr. Mitchell’s testimony this week as prosecutors tried to shore up their argument that the suspects had voluntarily incriminated themselves. Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 At one point, Kim steered the conversation toward drugs, in what some have interpreted as an attempt to get Lee to incriminate himself. Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incriminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of incriminate was circa 1736

Dictionary Entries Near incriminate

Cite this Entry

“Incriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incriminate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

incriminate

verb
in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio)
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 noun
incriminatory adjective

Legal Definition

incriminate

transitive verb
in·​crim·​i·​nate in-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce incriminate (audio)
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
incriminatory adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on incriminate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!