drop the charges

USAGE SUMMARY

"drop the charges" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You might use it in a legal document, a letter to someone's lawyer, or even in a casual conversation. Example: "The police officer asked me to drop the charges, so I agreed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He presses her to drop the charges.

The New York Times

If you have no evidence, you drop the charges.

The New Yorker

It was not right to drop the charges against them".

The New York Times

Amnesty International called on the police to drop the charges.

The New York Times

Montgomery has said he will not drop the charges.

The Washington Post

Bobo said he hoped Cambridge police would drop the charges.

The Guardian

Mr. Magnitsky's former colleagues expressed outrage over the decision to drop the charges.

The New York Times

She lobbied the billing department to drop the charges, and they did.

The New York Times

Campaigners called on the police to drop the charges entirely, because Ms. Masih is a minor.

The New York Times

I took it to the district attorney, and they agreed to drop the charges".

The New Yorker

That's why sincere friends of Egypt call on the government to drop the charges against him.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "drop the charges" in legal contexts, ensure that the subject of the sentence clearly identifies who has the authority to dismiss the charges.

Common error

Avoid using "drop the charges" interchangeably with "acquittal". Dropping the charges means the prosecution is discontinued, while acquittal means the defendant has been found not guilty after a trial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drop the charges" functions as a verb phrase typically used within a sentence to indicate the cessation or withdrawal of legal accusations. Ludwig AI shows that this phrase is commonly used in news and legal contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "drop the charges" is a common expression used to describe the cessation of legal prosecution. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent use, especially in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. Related phrases include "dismiss the accusations" and "cease prosecution". A key writing tip is to avoid confusing "drop the charges" with an acquittal, as they represent distinct legal outcomes. The phrase is neutral in register and serves to communicate a legal decision or request to end proceedings. It is important to identify clearly who is responsible for the decision to dismiss the charges.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dismiss the accusations

Replaces "charges" with "accusations" maintaining the legal context and the act of rejecting them.

withdraw the allegations

Substitutes "charges" with "allegations", highlighting the unproven nature of the claims and the action of retracting them.

cease prosecution

Focuses on the act of stopping legal proceedings, altering the verb and noun while preserving the core meaning.

halt the legal proceedings

Emphasizes the termination of ongoing court actions, broadening the scope to include all aspects of the case.

terminate the prosecution

Uses a more formal term, "terminate", replacing "drop" to convey the ending of the case.

rescind the indictment

Refers specifically to reversing a formal accusation by a grand jury, adding legal precision.

quash the charges

Employs a legal term, "quash", which means to reject or void, providing a more technical alternative.

nullify the claims

Changes the focus to invalidating the basis for the prosecution, using "nullify" for emphasis.

abandon the case

Simplifies the phrase to indicate leaving the case without pursuing it further.

decline to prosecute

Shifts the focus to the decision not to initiate or continue legal action, rather than explicitly stopping ongoing charges.

FAQs

What does it mean to "drop the charges"?

To "drop the charges" means that the prosecution has decided to discontinue the legal case against the defendant. This can happen for various reasons, such as lack of evidence or witness recantation.

What are some alternatives to saying "drop the charges"?

You can use alternatives like "dismiss the accusations", "cease prosecution", or "abandon the case" depending on the context.

Who has the authority to "drop the charges" in a legal case?

Typically, it's the prosecutor or the district attorney who has the authority to "drop the charges". They make this decision based on factors like the strength of the evidence and the public interest.

Is "dropping the charges" the same as an acquittal?

No, "dropping the charges" is not the same as an acquittal. Dropping the charges means the case is discontinued by the prosecution, while an acquittal means the defendant has been found not guilty after a trial.