Accused of or Accused for? Which Is Correct?
Quick Answer
"Accused of" is correct. Always say "accused of something," never "accused for something."
The Rule
accuse + someone + of + noun/gerund
Active: "They accused him of theft."
Passive: "He was accused of theft."
The verb "accuse" is always paired with the preposition "of." This applies to both the active form ("accuse someone of") and the passive form ("be accused of"). Using "for" instead of "of" is a very common mistake made by English learners.
Why "for" feels natural: Learners sometimes think "for" makes sense because punishment follows a crime ("arrested for theft," "fined for speeding"). But "accuse" is different, it specifically uses "of."
Active vs Passive Voice
Active Voice
"The police accused him of robbery."
accuse + person + of + crime/action
Passive Voice
"He was accused of robbery."
be accused + of + crime/action
Examples
"Accused of" vs "Charged with" vs "Arrested for"
These related expressions use different prepositions, don't mix them up:
| Expression | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| accuse / accused | of | accused of fraud |
| charge / charged | with | charged with murder |
| arrest / arrested | for | arrested for theft |
| convict / convicted | of | convicted of robbery |
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: The employee was accused for embezzlement.
Correct: The employee was accused of embezzlement.
Incorrect: She accused him for cheating.
Correct: She accused him of cheating.
Practice
Fill in the correct preposition:
"The manager was accused _____ stealing company funds." (of / for)