accusatory

UK: /əˈkjuːzətəri/, /ˌækjʊˈzeɪtəri/

US: (ə kyo̅o̅′zə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ac•cu•sa•to•ry  (ə kyo̅o̅′zə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj. 

1. containing an accusation;
   accusing:
   an accusatory look.
   Also, accusative. 

• Latin accūsātōrius, equivalent. to accūsā(re) to accuse + -tōrius -tory¹
• 1595–1605

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ac•cu•sa•to•ri•al  (ə kyo̅o̅′zə tôr′ē əl, -tōr′-), adj. 

1. Law of, like, or pertaining to an accuser.

• accusatory + -al¹ 1815–25

ac•cu′sa•to′ri•al•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

accusatorial / əˌkjuːzəˈtɔːrɪəl/, accusatory / əˈkjuːzətərɪ -trɪ ˌækjʊˈzeɪtərɪ/ adjective

1. containing or implying blame or strong criticism
2. denoting criminal procedure in which the prosecutor is distinct from the judge and the trial is conducted in public
   Compare inquisitorial3