Accuse, charge, indict, impeach all mean to declare a person guilty of a fault or offense.
What’s the difference?
Accuse implies a direct, personal declaration.
- He was accusing my mom of having an affair with another man.
Charge usually implies a formal declaration of a serious offense.
- He was charged with murder.
Indict is usually used in a legal context and implies a formal consideration of evidence prior to a trial.
- He was later indicted on corruption charges.
Impeach technically refers to a formal charge of malfeasance in office on the part of a public official.
- The Congress decided to impeach the President.