blame-shifting
Pointing fingers elsewhere
Blame-shifting is the act of deflecting responsibility for a mistake or wrongdoing onto someone else.
The term implies conscious redirection rather than honest disagreement about fault: When confronted about the project's failure, he engaged in blame-shifting, pointing fingers at everyone but himself.
Common in discussions of workplace dynamics, politics, and relationship conflicts.
Change in trajectory
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- denialRefusal to accept reality
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- defensivenessResistance to perceived attack
rationalization · minimization · externalization · scapegoating · gaslighting · manipulation · narcissism · accountability
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
accountability · corruption · cover-up · whataboutism · deflection · opposition · media · scandal
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
- paper-trailRecorded evidence chain
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
whistleblower · retaliation · HR · cover-up · incompetence · micromanagement · delegation · oversight
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- stonewallingDeliberately refusing to respond
invalidation · codependency · toxicity · boundaries · communication · trust · betrayal · accountability
deflection
Change in trajectory
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- denialRefusal to accept reality
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
defensiveness · rationalization · minimization · externalization · scapegoating · gaslighting · manipulation · narcissism · accountability · guilt
scapegoating
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
rhetoric · accountability · corruption · cover-up · whataboutism · deflection · opposition · media · scandal · investigation
scapegoating
Unfairly assigning fault to innocents
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
- paper-trailRecorded evidence chain
management · whistleblower · retaliation · HR · cover-up · incompetence · micromanagement · delegation · oversight · responsibility
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- deflectionChange in trajectory
stonewalling · invalidation · codependency · toxicity · boundaries · communication · trust · betrayal · accountability · apology
- excusesexcuse, not my fault, overslept, alibi, excuses
- passive aggressionsilent treatment, backhanded compliments, backhanded compliment, cold shoulder, eye rolling
- coping mechanismsrepression, denial, projection, sublimation, rationalization
- defense mechanismsdenial, projection, repression, suppression, displacement
- manipulationgaslighting, guilt tripping, brainwashing, guilt trip, guilt-tripping
- manipulation tacticsgaslighting, guilt trip, guilt-tripping, guilt tripping, emotional blackmail
blame-shiftingtaking responsibility
owning up · accountability · admitting fault · personal responsibility · self-blame
blame-shiftingintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
honesty · forthrightness · moral courage · uprightness · candor
blame, shift, shifting, blamed, blaming, blames, blameless, blameable, blamable