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Glite Dictionary
incriminatory

incriminatory

1 8.6
Making someone look guilty of a crime
  • adjective
  • /ɪnˈkrɪməˌnɛtəri/
translation icon : incriminatorio
  • We hope the study has shown that simple questions about offers can be extremely informative for prevention and educational purposes, while being less intrusive or incriminatory than direct questions on personal consumption.

Examples

  • There do, however, exist other (first-person) interior monologues that use self-address extensively, splitting the monologizing self into a dialogic contest of self-incriminatory voices.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The detective discovered incriminatory evidence that suggested the suspect was at the scene of the crime.

  • During the trial, the prosecutor presented incriminatory photographs showing the defendant's involvement in the robbery.

  • Her statement included incriminatory details that led the jury to believe she was complicit in the fraudulent scheme.

Synonyms

incriminating
vsincriminatory
41 7.2

Showing that someone may be guilty of a crime

is broader, implying guilt generally rather than focusing on evidence
accusatory
vsincriminatory
10 6.3

Showing blame or suggesting someone did something wrong

is narrower, focusing on implying criminal guilt rather than general blame
criminatory
vsincriminatory
  • Formal
9.6

Suggesting that someone is guilty or to blame, especially in a legal case

is similar but applies to any wrongdoing, not only legal cases
criminative
vsincriminatory
  • Formal
9.9

Suggesting that someone did something wrong

is about implying guilt specifically for crime or wrongdoing rather than general blame

Antonyms

innocent
∞ 2.2

Not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing

exculpatory
  • Formal
15 9.9

Evidence or statements that show someone did not commit a crime

How Incriminating

damning
3 7.5
accusatory
10 6.3
incriminatory
1 8.6
suspicious
300 2.7
suggestive
18 5.2

Surface Forms

incriminatory positive

Morphology

incriminatory = incriminate (transparent) = incriminate + ory

Formed by the verb 'incriminate' plus the adjectival suffix '-ory', giving the clear meaning 'serving to incriminate' in a straightforward way.

Etymology

Incriminatory comes from the prefix in- and the root crimen meaning 'crime', the same root in crime and criminal. So, something incriminatory suggests that a person may be guilty or is linked to a crime.