Meaning & use
incriminating evidence
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablelegallaw
Facts or objects that make someone appear guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural and no 'a' before it.
Patterns
- incriminating evidence against someone
- find incriminating evidence
- destroy incriminating evidence
The police found incriminating evidence in the suspect's car.
He was afraid that the emails would be seen as incriminating evidence.
The lawyer argued that the incriminating evidence was obtained illegally.
Common combinations
- incriminating evidence against someone
- There was no incriminating evidence against the defendant.
- find incriminating evidence
- Investigators found incriminating evidence at the scene.
- destroy incriminating evidence
- He was charged with destroying incriminating evidence.
- strong incriminating evidence
- The prosecution presented strong incriminating evidence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- damning evidence
- Stronger and more dramatic; suggests evidence that is almost impossible to explain away.
- proof of guilt
- More absolute; implies evidence that conclusively shows guilt, while incriminating evidence may only suggest it.
- evidence against someone
- Neutral; does not specify that the evidence makes the person look guilty, only that it is used in opposition.
Opposites
Word family
- incriminate verb
- To make someone appear guilty.
- incrimination noun
- The act of making someone appear guilty.
- evidence noun
- Facts or objects that help prove something.
Commonly confused: incriminating evidence or incriminating?
incriminating evidence vs incriminating
This is an adjective meaning 'making someone look guilty', while 'incriminating evidence' is the full phrase for the facts or objects themselves.
Practice
The detective searched the apartment for any ___ that could link the suspect to the crime.
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is 'incriminating evidence', where 'incriminating' is an adjective. 'Incriminate' is a verb, 'incrimination' is a noun, and 'incriminated' is a past participle, none of which fit before 'evidence' in this context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “incriminating evidence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.