The Accused
Charged with wrongdoing
The Accused refers to a person formally charged with a crime, particularly in legal contexts where the defendant's identity is central: The accused entered a plea of not guilty.
The phrase carries formal, courtroom weight—newspapers and legal documents use it to identify someone facing charges without repeating their name.
In casual speech, the accused can be used playfully about anyone blamed for something: The accused claims he didn't eat the last cookie.
- defendantParty facing charges
- on trialUnder legal judgment
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- guilty verdictCourt's culpability determination
- innocentFree from moral wrong
trial · courtroom · witness · sworn testimony · verdict · prosecutor · legal defense · crime · suspect · charged · arraignment · allegation · perpetrator · blame · indicted · dock · testimony · evidence