pin the blame on

idiomatic phrase

: to assign (someone) the blame for something
When he got caught, he tried to pin the blame on someone else.
Eventually, researchers and governments did definitively pin the blame for that incident on the Russian government …Patrick Howell O'Neill

Examples of pin the blame on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dudley pinned the blame on confusion over the trade war. Matt Egan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025 While the fires were worsened by dry conditions and high Santa Ana winds—leading to many pinning the blame on climate change—there have also been police investigations into allegations that arsonists are responsible. Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 Both of them clearly think that Ben is guilty, and Van is particularly eager to pin the blame on him. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025 Meanwhile, Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., lambasted high medical costs during his confirmation hearing, and seemed to pin the blame on government-run programs. Monica Potts, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pin the blame on

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pin the blame on was in 1892

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Cite this Entry

“Pin the blame on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pin%20the%20blame%20on. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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