Meaning & use
charged with crime
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseformallegal
Formally accused by authorities of having committed an illegal act.
Grammar: Used after a person's name or pronoun, often in passive constructions: 'He was charged with crime.'
Patterns
- be charged with crime
- charge someone with a crime
The suspect was charged with crime after the investigation.
She was charged with a crime she did not commit.
Being charged with a crime does not mean you are guilty.
phrasefixed phraseformal
To be officially blamed for a serious wrongdoing, often in a court of law.
Grammar: The phrase can also be used more generally for any serious offense, not just legal ones.
Patterns
- be charged with a crime
- charge someone with a crime
The company was charged with a crime for polluting the river.
He was charged with a crime after the evidence was found.
Common combinations
- charged with a crime
- He was charged with a crime and released on bail.
- charged with murder
- The man was charged with murder.
- charged with theft
- She was charged with theft from the store.
- charged with a serious crime
- He was charged with a serious crime.
Synonyms and how they differ
- accused of
- More common in everyday speech; it does not always imply a formal legal charge.
- indicted for
- Used mainly in American legal contexts for formal accusations by a grand jury.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: charged with crime or convicted of?
charged with crime vs convicted of
Convicted means found guilty; charged only means formally accused, not yet proven guilty.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'charged with crime' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct preposition after 'charged' is 'with'. 'Of', 'for', and 'to' are not used in this fixed phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “charged with crime”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.