accusatory

[US]/ə'kjuːzət(ə)rɪ/
[UK]/ə'kjuzətɔri/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

adj. suggesting or implying blame, criticism, or wrongdoing

Phrases & Collocations

an accusatory tone

accusatory look

accusatory remarks

accusatory attitude

Example Sentences

he pointed an accusatory finger in her direction.

adjudications, rulemaking proceedings are generally not accusatory;

Finally, the APA recognizes that the risk of unfairness is likely to be small when the proceedings do not have an accusatory or adversary tenor.

Her accusatory tone made him feel defensive.

He shot her an accusatory look.

The accusatory glares from the boss made the employees nervous.

She couldn't stand his accusatory remarks.

The accusatory letter accused him of wrongdoing.

His accusatory attitude alienated his friends.

The accusatory tone in her voice was unmistakable.

The accusatory stares of the audience made him nervous.

She couldn't help but feel accusatory towards him.

The accusatory nature of the conversation made it uncomfortable.

Real-world Examples

Why am I hearing an accusatory tone?

Source: Modern Family - Season 03

He means it in a nonthreatening, offhanded way, but habit wins and it comes out accusatory.

Source: Red White & Royal Blue

Harry did not know whether he was imagining it or not, but he fancied there was something accusatory in their looks.

Source: 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Now that you're speaking to me in a fairly accusatory tone, may I remind you that I was doing you a favor?

Source: Desperate Housewives (Audio Version) Season 2

“Did YOU know that she crashed the car? ” questions in a sort of accusatory way as to whether the other person knew.

Source: British English pronunciation teaching

" Have you always supported them, or just since they started winning the league? " said Ron, in what Harry considered an unnecessarily accusatory tone of voice.

Source: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Saying 'I feel hurt that you spend less time with me' is less accusatory than 'You never spend time with me! ' and is focused more clearly on the impact.

Source: Portable English Bilingual Edition

And if you answer the way you're feeling when somebody gets in your face and shouts at you in an accusatory way, you say, well, you son of a gun.

Source: Stanford Open Course: Negotiation Skills

Employed mothers and fathers both struggle with multiple responsibilities, but mothers also have to endure the rude questions and accusatory looks that remind us that we're shortchanging both our jobs and our children.

Source: Lean In

Sitting at the head of the table, drinking a chicken broth that landed in her stomach like an elixir of resurrection, Meme then saw Fernanda and Amaranta wrapped in an accusatory halo of reality.

Source: One Hundred Years of Solitude

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