impeachment

[im-peech-muhnt]

noun

1. the impeaching of a public official before an appropriate tribunal.

2. (in Congress or a state legislature) the presentation of formal charges against a public official by the lower house, trial to be before the upper house.

3. demonstration that a witness is less worthy of belief.

4. the act of impeaching.

5. the state of being impeached.

impeachment

1. A formal accusation of wrongdoing against a public official. According to the United States Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to impeach an official, but the Senate actually tries the case. Several presidencies have been blemished by impeachment or the threat of impeachment: President Andrew Johnson was impeached after the Civil War but was acquitted. President Richard Nixon resigned from office as the House of Representatives prepared to initiate impeachment proceedings. President William Jefferson Clinton was impeached in 1998 but was acquitted by the Senate the following year.

Other Word Forms

• nonimpeachment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of impeachment¹

1350–1400; Middle English empechement < Anglo-French. See impeach, -ment

Example Sentences

He used the grounds as a backdrop for negotiating the 1994 accord between Israel and Jordan, and he addressed the press there in 1999 after his acquittal by the Senate on impeachment charges.

From Salon

Opposition leaders, who have held massive protests against the ECI in recent days, said they were considering an impeachment motion to remove the chief election commissioner from his position.

From BBC

After the Post story was published, the American history museum said in a statement that “a future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments” but did not provide an exact timeline.

From Salon

At the same time, some have argued that Democrats are not living up to their end of the bargain by pushing for the constitutional remedy to remove an out-of-control president, which is, of course, impeachment.

From Salon

Had the impeachment vote gone against her, Duterte would not have been able to run for president.

From BBC

Related Words

• accusation 
• action 
• argument 
• bill 
• case 
• claim 
• dispute 
• indictment 
• litigation 
• prosecution 
• suit 
• trial 

When To Use

What does impeachment mean?

Impeachment is the act or process of impeaching a public official—formally accusing them of misconduct committed while in office.The word impeachment can also refer to the state of being impeached. An offense that is cause for someone’s impeachment can be called an impeachable offense.In the U.S., impeachment is closely associated with the act of officially bringing charges of misconduct against a sitting president (though other federal officials can be impeached).Impeaching an official is not the same as convicting them or removing them from office—to impeach is simply to formally present charges against them.Under U.S. law (specifically Article I of the Constitution), the House of Representatives has the power to formally accuse federal officials of misconduct through the process of impeachment. According to the Constitution, an official can be subjected to impeachment if they are alleged to have committed treason, bribery, or “other high crimes and misdemeanors” (this vague term covers a number of offenses but is the subject of debate). The formal charges are called articles of impeachment. If the House votes in favor of impeachment, the Senate then conducts an impeachment trial. In order for the person to be found guilty, two-thirds of the Senate must vote in favor of conviction. If found guilty, the official is removed from office (and may be forbidden from holding political office again, depending on the ruling of the Senate).In a more general legal context, the word impeachment can refer to the questioning of a witness’s credibility.The word impeachment can also be used in a more general way referring to the act of calling into question, as in Your impeachment of my motives is way off-base. It can also refer to the act of challenging or calling to account, as in The impeachment of such behavior is necessary in order to condemn it. Example: Representatives have said they will proceed with impeachment of the president if he refuses to resign.