What does indicted mean?
To indict someone is to formally accuse them of a crime or serious offence through a legal process. The word is especially associated with criminal proceedings, in which a court or prosecutor charges a person with a specified offence. It is also used figuratively for formal, strongly worded accusations against people, organisations, or institutions. An indictment marks the beginning of a prosecution; it is not the same as a conviction, which establishes guilt after a trial, nor is it identical to the broader word “accused,” which can describe suspicion or blame without a formal charge. The term is common in legal reporting and public debate, often in phrases such as “be indicted for” or “be indicted on charges.” Its precise legal consequences vary by jurisdiction, but in ordinary English it conveys an official allegation serious enough to require a formal response.
verbFormally accused by a court or legal authority of a crime or offence. The term is especially used in legal and news reporting and does not by itself establish guilt.
- Formally accused of a crime or offence by a legal authority.
- Figuratively, formally charged or blamed for a wrongdoing or serious fault.
"The former official was indicted for fraud and money laundering."
"The committee indicted the organisation over its handling of confidential data."
"Several executives were indicted after investigators uncovered a scheme to falsify accounts."
An indictment is an accusation with legal consequences: it begins a formal case against someone, but it is not a verdict.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indicted come from?
The verb “indict” comes through Old French from Latin indicere, formed from in- and dicere, meaning “to say, state, or declare.” The same Latin root underlies related English words such as “dictate,” “predicate,” “deduce,” and “edict.” The legal sense developed from the idea of formally declaring or charging someone before a court.
Related word forms
How indicted is actually used
In legal contexts, the word is neutral about guilt: a person may be indicted and later acquitted. The figurative use is more confrontational and commonly occurs in political, journalistic, and institutional language.
Easily confused with indicted
Being accused describes the broad act of naming someone as responsible or suspecting them of wrongdoing, whereas being indicted is the specific legal procedure of formally charging someone with a crime or offence.
An indictment formally charges a person, while a conviction is the court's finding after trial that the defendant is guilty of the charge.