Synonym Chooser

How is the word blamable different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of blamable are blameworthy, culpable, and guilty. While all these words mean "deserving reproach or punishment," blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.

conduct adjudged blameworthy
an accident for which no one is blamable

When could culpable be used to replace blamable?

While the synonyms culpable and blamable are close in meaning, culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence.

culpable neglect

When would guilty be a good substitute for blamable?

The words guilty and blamable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing.

guilty of a breach of etiquette

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blamable
Adjective
  • Timothy Martin, a member of the environmental activist coalition Declare Emergency, was on April 8 found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and of injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit, the Department of Justice reports.
    News Desk, Artforum, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Justin Bradley Durham pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation, according to an April 7 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
    Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But Miss Manners acknowledges that there is also the less blameworthy impulse to offer comfort — not just sympathy — when there is no real comfort to be offered.
    Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025
  • But Miss Manners acknowledges that there is also the less blameworthy impulse to offer comfort — not just sympathy — when there is no real comfort to be offered.
    Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Per the outlet, the police have opened a case into the amusement park into possible negligence and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • While research in that realm is in its infancy, some experts hypothesize that environmental factors influenced by climate change could be culpable in the uptick in kidney stone cases among children.
    The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Whereas Serena could easily have emerged as a one-note villain, from the beginning of her tenure on the series, Strahovski has imbued Serena with a soulfulness that often puts the audience uncomfortably on her side, despite her reprehensible actions.
    Scarlett Harris, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025
  • This isn't about politics—weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • An arrest warrant was obtained for Lacy for negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Reinoso-Gallegos was arrested without incident and transported to Troop H where he was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle at too slow speed and second-degree reckless endangerment.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Blamable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blamable. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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