false charge
Unwarranted criminal accusation
A false charge is an accusation that isn't true—typically a legal accusation, though the phrase applies to any formal allegation.
Someone may be arrested on false charges, or a newspaper may print false charges against a public figure.
The phrase emphasizes that the accusation itself is unfounded, not merely unproven: He spent three years in prison on false charges before being exonerated.
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- defamationFalse statements harming reputation
- character assassinationDestroying someone's good name
smear · drag through the mud · frame-up · thrown under the bus · perjury · wrongful · wrongful conviction · innocent · malicious · bad faith · lies · framed · scandal · rumor · betrayal · injustice · vindictive · trumped-up
- accusationsaccusation, accuse, accuser, allegation, allege
- false accusationswrongful accusation, bum rap, frame-up, frameup, framing
false chargeexoneration
Official clearing of blame
vindication · acquittal · fair trial · due process · justice served
false, charge, falsely, falseness, falsity, falsify, falsification, falsified, falsifier