What does "arraign" mean?
Arraignment.
Arraign
/əˈɹeɪn/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Arraignment.
- Grammar: arraign is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: accuse, accuse, allege, anathematize.
- Useful contrasts: acquit, exonerate.
- Usage evidence: He was arraigned in Washington, D.C., on the 25th of that month on charges of treason.
How to use "arraign"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "arraign" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "arraign" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "arraign" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "arraign" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "arraign" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accuse" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "arraign", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Arraignment.
"the clerk of the arraigns"
Verb
- 1 To officially charge someone in a court of law. with-on
"He was arraigned in Washington, D.C., on the 25th of that month on charges of treason."
- 2 accuse of a wrong or an inadequacy wordnet
- 3 To call to account, or accuse, before the bar of reason, taste, or any other tribunal.
"They will not dare to arraign you for want of knowledge."
- 4 call before a court to answer an indictment wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"He was arraigned in Washington, D.C., on the 25th of that month on charges of treason."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "arraign"?
Common synonyms include: accuse, accuse, allege, anathematize, anathemize, animadvert on.
How do you use "arraign" in a sentence?
He was arraigned in Washington, D.C., on the 25th of that month on charges of treason.
How do you pronounce "arraign"?
Pronounced /əˈɹeɪn/.
Etymology
From Middle English areynen (“to interrogate, arraign, reprimand”), from Anglo-Norman areiner, arener, from Old French araisnier, areisnier, aresnier (“to speak to, address; accuse (in a law court)”) (whence modern French arraisonner (“to verify cargo, to arraign”)), from Vulgar Latin *arratiōnāre, from Latin adratiōnāre, from ad (“to”) + *ratiōnāre (“to reason, talk reasonably, talk”), from ratiō (“reason, reasoning, discourse”), from rat-, past-participle stem of rērī (“to reckon, calculate”). First attested in the late 14th century. Doublet of areason. About the -g- within the word, Etymonline and the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary both agrees that it is present by hypercorrection and appears since the 16th century. The Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (1986) however, provides two etymological links each, which are Old French aragnier and araigner. The Oxford English Dictionary (1885, 1989) did not support either of these hypotheses, but did attribute Old French arraigner, arainer to an unrelated obsolete sense and etymon.