WordValeimplicate
to show someone is involved in wrongdoing
In more detail
1. (verb) to show or suggest that someone is involved in something wrong or illegal
2. (verb) to involve something as a necessary part or consequence
Examples
- 1. The evidence implicates him in the theft.
- 2. Accepting the job implicates a move to another city.
How to use implicate
Implicate means to suggest or show that someone is involved in something wrong or illegal, or more formally, to involve something as a necessary consequence. It is commonly used in legal and investigative contexts. The word carries a sense of connection or involvement without necessarily stating direct guilt, making it more subtle than 'accuse' but more definitive than 'suspect'.
Common phrases
- implicate someone in a crime
- implicate someone in a scandal
- implicate someone in wrongdoing
- directly implicated
- strongly implicated
- be implicated in
Synonyms
incriminate · involve · compromise · entangle · imply
Opposites
exonerate · clear · absolve
Word family
implication (noun) · implicated (adjective) · implicating (verb form)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'implicate' with 'imply'; imply means to suggest indirectly, while implicate specifically means to involve someone in wrongdoing or to be a necessary consequence of something.
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