How to Use accusatory in a Sentence

accusatory

adjective
  • The book has a harsh, accusatory tone.
  • He pointed an accusatory finger at the suspect.
  • There have been few steps past the accusatory stage for those who have been revealed to be abusers.
    — Jaya Saxena, GQ, 15 June 2018
  • This need not be accusatory or hostile.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Their tone was accusatory, as if this woman had stabbed herself.
    — Susana Morris, Longreads, 8 Sep. 2017
  • Are there accusatory questions about why the result was not achieved?
    — Bryan Powell, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2021
  • Be careful to present what your child has said without being accusatory.
    — Lisa Linnell-Olsen, Parents, 30 July 2024
  • Sophie’s accusatory anger toward her tears her apart.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 12 June 2025
  • Keep the tone respectful but firm, and avoid language that sounds accusatory.
    — Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The tone, Dowd recalled, was accusatory.
    — Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Instead of confronting him in an accusatory way, make sure to come from a place of kindness and concern.
    — Annie Lane, Anchorage Daily News, 30 July 2023
  • My mother-in-law seemed quite unperturbed by the accusatory tone of the question.
    — Hazlitt, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Once again, such an accusatory starting point does nothing to build a consensus.
    — Gary Abernathy, Alaska Dispatch News, 14 Oct. 2017
  • But the subtly accusatory tone of these passages speaks louder than anyone’s words.
    — Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2021
  • One other excellent point that was brought up was how sexist this accusatory video also came off as.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 25 Sep. 2023
  • But his grandmother and his uncle often said strange accusatory things.
    — Akhil Sharma, The New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2017
  • This can help the conversation to feel less accusatory and more like an open discussion.
    — Peter Weiss, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2024
  • Specifically, that kind of anger and accusatory, petty sort of thing.
    — Morgan Enos, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2018
  • This doesn’t mean enraged outbursts or accusatory monologues.
    — Molly Burrets, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Biden, the committee chairman, did little to temper the accusatory tone in the room.
    — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, 14 Dec. 2017
  • Try to remain curious and not accusatory.
    — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Try to remain curious and not accusatory.
    — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Be sure to approach your colleagues with an inquisitive tone instead of an accusatory one.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2023
  • Bongino was flooded with replies, many of the accusatory variety, from people who refuse to believe him.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
  • This centers the need without sounding accusatory.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Readers know all about the pressure, a pressure that can feel almost accusatory, that can come with owning a stack of unread books.
    — Jack Barlow, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025
  • Homes were abandoned, lawsuits filed and accusatory fingers wagged in all directions.
    — André Naffis-Sahely, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2023
  • Experts say the most graceful exits are brief, non-accusatory, and focused on your own needs—not the group’s behavior.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
  • But the calls kept coming and Kumari's pleas grew more frantic and accusatory, Jha recalls.
    — Pallabi Munsi, CNN, 31 May 2022
  • Arnold isn’t accusatory in his assessment of the situation—just matter of fact.
    — Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accusatory.' 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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