indictment
nounUS /ɪnˈdaɪt.mənt/
Etymology 18th-century Latinized respelling of Middle English endytement (“action of accusing”), from Anglo-Norman enditement, from enditer, from Late Latin indictāre, from Latin indictus.
1
Law An official formal accusation for a criminal offence, or the process by which it is brought to a jury.
- But she accomplished the third task — the one that mattered most to her boss — securing a criminal indictment against Mr. Comey, the former F.B.I. director.2025 September 27, “Inside the Trump Administration’s Push to Prosecute James Comey”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
2
Law The official legal document outlining the charges concerned; bill of indictment.
- […]— the indictment will remain sealed until his expected arraignment on Tuesday, when the charges will be formally revealed.2023 March 30, William K. Rashbaum, “This is what will happen when Trump is arrested in the coming days.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
3
An accusation of wrongdoing; a criticism or condemnation.
- Can there be a greater indictment against patriotism than that it will thus brand a man a criminal, throw him into prison, and rob him of the results of fifteen years of faithful service?1910, Emma Goldman, “Patriotism: A Menace to Liberty”, in Anarchism and Other Essays:
- I must say Humphrey, these facts are a frightening indictment of bureaucratic sloppiness and self-indulgence.1980 March 10, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “The Economy Drive”, in Yes, Minister, season 1, episode 3, spoken by Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington):
1 more example
- I have been critical of the RDG in the past for merely being a cypher for government announcements, but the failure of its members to make a stand on this issue and not be complicit in the Government's subterfuge is a shocking indictment of their failure to protect the industry.2023 July 26, Christian Wolmar, “Closing ticket offices to lead to 'catch-22' for passengers”, in RAIL, number 988, page 42:
4
Evidence of failure or poor performance.
- an indictment of his ability to lead
- an indictment of his game
1 more example
- a stinging indictment of our prison system
- Derived terms
- nonindictment, postindictment
- Related terms
- arraignment, grand jury, plea, pleading
- Hyponyms
- preindictment, reindictment