1
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
hoping to avoid the onus of failure by lowering expectations ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
he perpetually tries to shift the onus for any mistakes onto other team members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onus
Even then, the onus would be on America’s Arab allies to come up with a solution to a decades-old problem, and the king’s visit to DC has hardly inspired confidence.
—
Mostafa Salem, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025
The onus is always on us to hold the door open for the next Black woman to arrive.
—Taylor Crumpton, TIME, 3 Feb. 2025
The Broncos’ linemen understand the onus on their position group going into the 2025 season, especially considering the unit’s continuity goes back to ’23.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2025
After all, why should the onus for environmental impact only lie with EVs?
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Mostafa Salem, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025
The onus is always on us to hold the door open for the next Black woman to arrive.
—Taylor Crumpton, TIME, 3 Feb. 2025
The Broncos’ linemen understand the onus on their position group going into the 2025 season, especially considering the unit’s continuity goes back to ’23.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2025
After all, why should the onus for environmental impact only lie with EVs?
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
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For a president who came into office claiming that human rights would be at the crux of his foreign policy, Biden's inability to hold Azerbaijan responsible for its war crimes and atrocities will be a stain on his legacy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
-
There’s a reserved spot in hell for the s*** stains pursuing this vile campaign to erase trans people.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Ruby cast blame on Hildebrandt for what had occurred and agreed to testify against the counselor as part of a plea deal.—
Rachel Brodsky,
TIME,
25 Feb. 2025
-
However, the blame sits with the cybercriminals behind the attacks, not the platform itself and certainly not the victim either.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Those negotiations are certain to be tricky after a campaign which exposed sharp divisions over migration and how to deal with the AfD in a country where far-right politics carry a particularly strong stigma due to its Nazi past.—
Sarah Marsh and Matthias Williams,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The public’s acceptance of psychological terms has made mental health conversations more mainstream—a positive step in reducing stigma.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt: A 52-year-old woman from Naperville was arrested on two charges of vandalism at 11:54 a.m. Feb. 11 in the 700 block of Inland Circle.—
Steve Metsch,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
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Jude uses that and other topical references to set the action in the tumultuous present, although the guilt Orsolya faces could happen at any moment in history.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The series is so cyclical - don’t let the current 2-7 9 year mark against the Irish taint the outlook of the series.—
Antonio Morales,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
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When positioned in the right spot, the arm can tease your testicles as well as your perineum (also known as your taint).—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
There, an opaque, baseball-size blot was visible on his imaging results.—
ByMeredith Wadman,
science.org,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The cleaning process is the same as with wool rugs: blot with warm water, working from the outer edge inward.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
9 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The production has a lot of recorded sound and this has its issues; some of the language therein is inaudible, which is a shame, albeit something easily corrected.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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No American travels abroad without blushing for shame for his country on this subject.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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