indictment

[in-dahyt-muhnt]

noun

1. an act of indicting.

2. Law.,  a formal accusation initiating a criminal case, presented by a grand jury and usually required for felonies and other serious crimes.

3. any charge, accusation, serious criticism, or cause for blame.

4. the state of being indicted.

indictment

/ ɪnˈdaɪtmənt /

noun

1. a formal written charge of crime formerly referred to and presented on oath by a grand jury

2. any formal accusation of crime

3. a charge of crime brought at the instance of the Lord Advocate

4. the act of indicting or the state of being indicted

indictment

1. A formal accusation of a crime, presented to the accused party after the charges have been considered by a grand jury.

Other Word Forms

• nonindictment noun
• reindictment noun
• superindictment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of indictment¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; indict + -ment; replacing Middle English enditement, from Anglo-French ( indite )

Example Sentences

Mr Doyle was originally charged with seven offences but 24 new counts were added to the indictment at a hearing last month.

From BBC

Federal prosecutors, under Pirro’s directive, sought a felony assault indictment as a dramatic gesture to show toughness.

From Salon

Essayli “was not lawfully acting as the United States Attorney in any capacity” on Aug. 13, when the government obtained the indictment against Ramirez, the deputy federal public defenders wrote in their motion.

From Los Angeles Times

By returning an indictment, the grand jury indicated that it believed federal prosecutors had proved that there is probable cause the defendants violated federal law and that the case can proceed to trial.

From Los Angeles Times

The rate of return, particularly on fentanyl, is huge; according to a 2023 indictment, hundreds of dollars in precursor chemicals can net profits 200 to 800 times larger.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• allegation 
• arraignment 
• bill 
• charge 
• citation 
• detention 
• impeachment 
• prosecution 
• statement 
• summons 
• warrant 

When To Use

What does indictment mean?

An indictment is an official accusation stating that a person is being charged with a crime and that a criminal trial will be held.An indictment is the final step in the evidence-gathering process before a person is put on trial for a serious crime, especially a felony. In the U.S., such indictments are presented by a grand jury—the group of people responsible for determining whether there is enough evidence of a crime for a suspect to be put on trial.Indictment can also be used in a more general way, outside of a legal context, to mean an accusation, strong criticism, or something that has the effect of revealing something as being deserving of criticism.Indictment is a noun form of the verb indict, which can be used in the sense of making formal criminal charges or in the more general sense of accusing or criticizing.Example: According to the indictment, the suspect is being charged with armed robbery.