accuse and charge share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. accuse means “bring an accusation against; level a charge against”. charge means “to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle”. charge is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈkjuz/
1.v.bring an accusation against; level a charge against
“The neighbors accused the man of spousal abuse”
2.v.blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against
“he charged the director with indifference”
/ˈtʃɑɹdʒ/
1.v.to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
“he saw Jess charging at him with a pitchfork”
2.v.blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against
“he charged the director with indifference”
3.v.demand payment
“Will I get charged for this service?”
| accuse | charge | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈkjuz/ | /ˈtʃɑɹdʒ/ |
| Said | uh-KYOOZ | chahrj |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 2 | 40 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | impeach, incriminate, criminate | bear down |
Full entry for accuse · Full entry for charge · More comparisons