accuse

/əˈkjuːz/

//əˈkjuːz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"accuse" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“accuse” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,975 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,975
frequency rank, English
6
letters
5
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To find fault with, blame, censure.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

accuse vs acute
67% similar
accuse vs amuse
67% similar
accuse vs arouse
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for accuse
PropertyValue
Headwordaccuse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈkjuːz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#10,975
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “accuse” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). accuse lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for accuse is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈkjuːz/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,975 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for accuse, with forms such as "accsue", "accues", and "accusse". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "acute", "amuse", "arouse", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray. The correct English form is accuse, spelled A-C-C-U-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To find fault with, blame, censure.
  2. 2
    To charge with having committed a crime or offence.
  3. 3
    To make an accusation against someone.

Etymology

First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray.

This word in other languages

acusar(Español)accuser(Français)beschuldigen(Deutsch)acusar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: accsue,accues,accusse,acucse,cacuse

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of accuse - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

accsue2accues2accusse1acucse2cacuse2
Edit distance from "accuse"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "accuse"?
"accuse" is spelled A-C-C-U-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈkjuːz/.
What does "accuse" mean?
As a verb, "accuse" means: To find fault with, blame, censure.
What words are commonly confused with "accuse"?
"accuse" is commonly confused with "acute", "amuse", "arouse". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "accuse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "accuse" is /əˈkjuːz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "accuse"?
First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “accuse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-C-C-U-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈkjuːz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “acute” - see the side-by-side comparison. accuse vs acute
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list