blame
Point fingers at
Blame is holding someone responsible for something wrong or undesirable.
You can blame a person, blame circumstances, or blame yourself: I blame the delay on poor planning.
As a noun, blame is the responsibility itself: He took the blame for the mistake.
To be to blame is to be at fault.
Don't blame me deflects responsibility, sometimes defensively.
One blamed for others
- patsyEasily deceived victim
- whipping boyDesignated recipient of punishment
- targetObject of pursuit
- victimOne harmed by another
sacrificial lamb · lightning rod · buck-passing · deflection · misdirection · take the fall · cover story · excuse
Expression of disappointment
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- condemnDeclare wrong or guilty
- reprimandFormal expression of disapproval
admonish · chastise · castigate · scold · berate · upbraid · disapproval · denunciation
Obligation for one's actions
- faultImperfection or blame
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- answerabilityObligation to explain oneself
guilt · onus · burden · obligation · rap · heat · ownership · blameworthiness
Claim someone did wrong
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictFormally charge with crime
- allegeAssert without substantiation
- incriminateShow involvement in wrongdoing
denounce · implicate · prosecute · arraign · impeach · attribute · impute · pin on
Imperfection in something
- errorFault in communication
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- failingFlaw in one's nature
- shortcomingA fault or weakness
weakness · deficiency · lapse · misstep · blunder · oversight · wrongdoing · transgression
fall guy
One blamed for others
- patsyEasily deceived victim
- whipping boyDesignated recipient of punishment
- targetObject of pursuit
victim · sacrificial lamb · lightning rod · buck-passing · deflection · misdirection · take the fall · cover story · excuse · alibi
reproach
Expression of disappointment
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- condemnDeclare wrong or guilty
reprimand · admonish · chastise · castigate · scold · berate · upbraid · disapproval · denunciation · objection
accountability
Obligation for one's actions
- faultImperfection or blame
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
answerability · guilt · onus · burden · obligation · rap · heat · ownership · blameworthiness · complicity
accuse
Claim someone did wrong
incriminate · denounce · implicate · prosecute · arraign · impeach · attribute · impute · pin on · finger
flaw
Imperfection in something
shortcoming · weakness · deficiency · lapse · misstep · blunder · oversight · wrongdoing · transgression · offense
- accusationsaccusation, accuse, accuser, allegation, allege
- Blamefault, culprit, accusation, guilt-tripping, finger-pointing
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
- ethical consequencesguilt, shame, regret, remorse, punishment
- Judgment Wordsjudge, assess, evaluate, rate, rank
- moral judgmentsgood, evil, wicked, virtuous, moral
blamecredit
Recognition or payment deferral
praise · commend · commendation · laud · extol
blameexonerate
Clear of wrongdoing
exoneration · absolve · exculpate · exculpation · acquit
blameinnocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
blamelessness · guiltlessness · faultlessness · blest · sinlessness
- to blameResponsible for wrongdoing
- blame gameCompetitive fault deflection
- take the blame
- victim blamingFaulting those who suffered
- blaming othersAssigning fault elsewhere
- lay blame
blamed, blameless, blames, blaming, blasphemy, blameworthy, blaspheme, unblamable, blameful