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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blamable
Adjective
  • He was arraigned Wednesday and pleaded not guilty, court records show.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Axel Rene Kramer, 37, received his sentence in U.S. District Court in St. Paul after pleading guilty Jan. 5 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • His political support group consists mainly of sycophants who seek status by riding his popular coattails, while the erstwhile staff of his late presidential office have either now become subjects for criminal prosecution or — if not blameworthy — are adamantly urging against his return.
    Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024
  • On the whole, Google's spam filter, though in this instance imperfect, is not morally blameworthy.
    Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 25 Aug. 2023
Adjective
  • In Scotland, helping someone to die could lead to prosecution for culpable homicide.
    Harriet Marsden, theweek, 16 Oct. 2024
  • The industry may be culpable for direct indicators of global warming, but not these indirect killer extremes.
    Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • What an indefensible, reprehensible & disrespectful thing to have done.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024
  • As a result that totally rules out any possibility of reprehensible actions on his part.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Besides murder, the jury also found Coy guilty of felonious assault and reckless homicide.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Coy, who was removed from his position in the Columbus Police Department shortly after the incident, faced charges of murder, reckless homicide and other offenses in which he was found guilty on Monday.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near blamable

Cite this Entry

“Blamable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blamable. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on blamable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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