indictment
noun
in·dict·ment
in-ˈdīt-mənt 
plural indictments
1
: a formal written statement prepared by a prosecuting authority charging a person with a crime and returned by a jury (such as a grand jury) upon finding that sufficient evidence to support it was presented
The state filed a one-hundred-count indictment against him that included murder, drug trafficking, prostitution, arson, and scores of other crimes.—
Sidney Sheldon
Sidney SheldonThe grand jury handed up Indictment No. 2 on November 19, 1998.—US v. Barnes, 251 F. 3d 251 (Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit 2001)
US v. Barnes, 251 F. 3d 251 (Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit 2001)If a district attorney takes or agrees to take from any person money … and an indictment is handed down or a presentment is made to this effect, the district attorney shall be disqualified from further discharging his or her official duties until a trial is had upon the indictment or presentment.—Official Code of Georgia Annotated, section 15-18-26 (2022)
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, section 15-18-26 (2022)2
a
: the action or the legal process of indicting
Felony cases are typically charged by indictment.
… reporters keen on finding out which City Hall figures were in danger of indictment …—Andy Logan
Andy LoganThe accused person, after indictment, is brought before the court. He may plead guilty or not guilty. If the plea is guilty, the judge sentences the person. If the plea is not guilty, a trial is held.—Stanley E. Dimond and Elmer F. Pflieger
Stanley E. Dimond and Elmer F. Pflieger
b
: the state of being indicted
He was frequently known to proceed with sales despite strong evidence that ownership of lots was in question—in one case a seller was under indictment for forgery and grand larceny.—Douglas C. McGill
Douglas C. McGill3
: an expression of strong disapproval
an indictment of government policy on immigrants
She intended the film to be an indictment of the media.
… the book is a stinging indictment of American political history …—Debra Rae Cohen
Debra Rae Cohen
Examples of indictment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement Many of the allegations outlined in the federal indictment are similar to details contained in a lawsuit filed by Combs’ former girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, last year.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
The former president was initially charged in August 2023, and the special counsel filed a new, narrower indictment to comply with the Supreme Court's immunity decision.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Oct. 2024
Oddly, even when the toxic topic of the January 6 insurrection was raised by the moderators late in the debate, Walz neglected to go hard into the horrors of that day, and Trump’s courtroom dramas over the 2020 election and his own indictments.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
In the indictment court documents, law officials did seize various Freak Off supplies, including
narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant in the rapper’s home.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for indictment 
Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
The former president was initially charged in August 2023, and the special counsel filed a new, narrower indictment to comply with the Supreme Court's immunity decision.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Oct. 2024
Oddly, even when the toxic topic of the January 6 insurrection was raised by the moderators late in the debate, Walz neglected to go hard into the horrors of that day, and Trump’s courtroom dramas over the 2020 election and his own indictments.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
In the indictment court documents, law officials did seize various Freak Off supplies, including
narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant in the rapper’s home.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for indictment
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indictment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Indictment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indictment. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indictment
noun
in·dict·ment
in-ˈdīt-mənt
1
: the act or process of indicting
2
: an official written statement charging a person with a crime
Legal Definition
indictment
noun
in·dict·ment
in-ˈdīt-mənt
1
: the action or the legal process of indicting
2
a
: a formal written statement framed by a prosecuting authority and found by a grand jury that charges a person or persons with an offense compare complaint, information
b
: bill of indictment at bill 3b
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