verb
impeach
ihm-PEECH
Impeach (verb) means to formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office. Example: “Congress voted to impeach the president.”
verb
1
To formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office.
"Congress voted to impeach the president."
2
To question or challenge the credibility of a witness or testimony.
"The defense tried to impeach the witness's account by pointing out inconsistencies."
How to use impeach
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo formally accuse an official of wrongdoing, or to challenge whether a witness can be trusted.
Common mistake
Impeachment is a formal charge/trial process — it does not automatically mean someone is removed from office; that's a separate conviction step.
Common pairings
impeach the president
impeach a witness
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- impeaches
- Past tense
- impeached
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Congress voted to _____ the president.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman empecher, from Latin impedicare, "to fetter, entangle" — related to the French empecher, "to prevent".
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for impeach
See all rhymes for impeach →Frequently asked questions
What does “impeach” mean?
The word “impeach” means to formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office. In plain terms, to formally accuse an official of wrongdoing, or to challenge whether a witness can be trusted.
How do you pronounce “impeach”?
“Impeach” is pronounced ihm-PEECH (/ɪmˈpiːt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “impeach” in a sentence?
Here is “impeach” used in a sentence: “Congress voted to impeach the president.”
What part of speech is “impeach”?
“Impeach” is a verb.
Where does the word “impeach” come from?
The word “impeach” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman empecher, from Latin impedicare, "to fetter, entangle" — related to the French empecher, "to prevent".
How many meanings does “impeach” have?
“Impeach” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office.
