verb

impeach

ihm-PEECH

verb

To formally charge a public official with misconduct, often as a step toward removing them from office.

"Congress voted to impeach the president."

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 notes

In 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

impeached past tense, impeaches singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Congress voted to _____ the president.

From Anglo-Norman empecher, from Latin impedicare, "to fetter, entangle" — related to the French empecher, "to prevent".

each teach peach beach leach reach bleach breach preach outreach