Learn the word 'Accuse': Key B2 Verb for Legal and Formal English Communication

Word Info

Word: Accuse

Level: B2

Pronunciation: ə'kjuz

Meaning: To say someone did something wrong or illegal

Video Script

Hello and welcome to "Hello Word!", the podcast where we explore English words to help expand your vocabulary. I’m Alex, and I’m thrilled to have you with us today. Let’s dive right into our word of the day, which is accuse. Accuse is a verb that means to say someone did something wrong or illegal. When you accuse someone, you’re suggesting that they are responsible for some kind of negative action or behavior, like a mistake or even a crime. It’s a word we hear often in both serious and everyday situations. For instance, you might hear it in a courtroom where one party is accusing another of breaking the law. But you could also hear it in a much simpler context, like when a sibling accuses another of eating the last cookie in the jar. Some synonyms for accuse include blame, charge, and allege. Each of these words has a slightly different nuance. For example, if you blame someone, it might imply holding them responsible for something without formal proof. Here’s an example: "She blamed him for missing the bus because he took too long to get ready." Charge is often used in a legal setting, like when a person is formally accused of a crime. "He was charged with theft after the investigation." Allege is another synonym, but it usually implies that someone is saying something without necessarily providing proof right away. "The company alleges that the competitor stole their design." On the other hand, antonyms for accuse include defend and excuse. Defend is used when you support someone or argue that they did not do anything wrong. For instance, "She defended her friend, saying he had no part in the mistake." Excuse can mean to forgive someone for a minor error or wrongdoing. "They excused him for being late due to traffic." In everyday life, accuse is a word that often comes up when talking about misunderstandings, suspicions, or when clarifying the truth. You might say, "I don’t want to accuse anyone of taking my phone, but I can’t find it anywhere." Or perhaps, "He accused his coworker of not finishing the project on time." Let’s look at a few more examples. "The teacher accused the students of cheating on the test." "After finding the wallet missing, she accused him of stealing it." And, "I didn’t mean to accuse you I just wanted to know what happened." To wrap things up, today we explored the word accuse. We learned that it means to say someone did something wrong or illegal, looked at synonyms like blame, charge, and allege, as well as antonyms like defend and excuse. Thank you so much for joining me today on "Hello Word!" I hope you found this episode helpful and that you feel more confident using accuse in your conversations. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review it really helps others discover the show. And here’s a challenge: try creating your own sentence using accuse and share it in the comments. I’d love to see what you come up with! Until next time, keep learning and keep growing your English skills.

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