indictment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "indictment" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in a legal context to refer to a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. Example: "The grand jury issued an indictment against the suspect after reviewing the evidence presented."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The $10m payments, revealed in the US indictment, were among the factors that led to the Fifa president Sepp Blatter promising to step down last week.

The Guardian - Sport

The death of Gurley, whom Bratton called "a total innocent" at the time, helped seal the indictment of the city's practice of allowing poorly trained officers to police impact zones.

The Guardian

As a consequence, even if the SFO had been aware of cheques to the Conservative party in 1993 – and assuming there was sufficient evidence of theft – prosecutors would not have been likely to add a count to the indictment.

The Guardian - Business

The indictment alleges: "Soon after receiving these wire transfers, the defendant Jack Warner caused a substantial portion of the funds to be diverted for his personal use," which included laundering the money through intermediaries.

The Guardian - Sport

Syriza's recent electoral success was a clear indictment of the budget-strangling policies that left Greece mired in a depression for the last five years.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The basis for charges is clear," he added, encouraging critics to read the Justice Department's indictment.

The Guardian - Sport

The indictment states that "a high-ranking Fifa official caused payments … totalling $10m – to be wired from a Fifa account in Switzerland to a Bank of America correspondent account in New York … controlled by Jack Warner".

The Guardian - Sport

According to the US indictment, the money was siphoned off into Warner's personal accounts and he paid $750,000 of a promised $1m to Blazer.

The Guardian - Sport

The US attorney general, Loretta Lynch, alleged "rampant, systemic and deep-rooted corruption", making it clear their investigation is in its early stages, despite six guilty pleas including Blazer's and the extraordinary bribery, fraud and money laundering charges in the indictment of 14 others.

The Guardian - Sport

Pu's lawyers said they expect to get the indictment with details of the charges next week.

The Guardian

"With the addition of a plane and an antenna my Photoshopped version of the Clinton logo transformed it into quite the indictment of Clinton policy and the costly wars we have fought since then".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "indictment" when referring to a formal accusation by a grand jury; for less formal accusations, consider using "charge" or "accusation".

Common error

Avoid using "indictment" as a synonym for "conviction". An indictment is merely the formal accusation; a conviction occurs after a trial establishes guilt.

Linguistic Context

The noun "indictment" primarily functions as a legal term, referring to a formal accusation by a grand jury. Ludwig AI shows its usage in news, sports and business contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "indictment" is a grammatically sound noun widely used to denote a formal accusation, especially in legal contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and prevalence. Its usage spans across various domains, including News & Media, Sports, and Business, reflecting its relevance in reporting legal proceedings and related accusations. When employing the term, it's crucial to ensure a clear specification of who is issuing the indictment and against whom. Alternatives include "formal accusation", "legal charge", and "accusation of wrongdoing", depending on the specific nuance intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formal accusation

Focuses on the official nature of the charge.

legal charge

Emphasizes the legal aspect of the accusation.

bill of indictment

Refers to the document presenting the charges.

official accusation

Highlights the authority behind the accusation.

formal charge

Similar to formal accusation, but slightly less specific.

accusation of wrongdoing

Broadens the scope to any type of misconduct.

criminal accusation

Specifically relates to criminal activity.

formal complaint

Highlights the official nature of the complaint, not only a law offence

legal prosecution

Focuses on the act of pursuing legal action against someone.

statement of charges

Refers to a formal statement outlining the charges.

FAQs

What does "indictment" mean in legal terms?

In legal terms, an "indictment" is a formal accusation issued by a grand jury, charging someone with a crime based on evidence presented.

How does an "indictment" differ from an arrest?

An arrest is the act of taking someone into custody, while an "indictment" is a formal accusation of a crime. An arrest can occur before or after an "indictment".

What happens after someone is "indicted"?

After someone is "indicted", they are arraigned, where they enter a plea (guilty or not guilty), and the case proceeds towards trial or a plea bargain.

What are some alternatives to using the word "indictment"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "charge", "accusation", or "formal complaint" instead of "indictment".