blames
Points finger at
Blames is the verb blame in its third-person singular form, meaning to hold responsible for a fault or wrong: She blames herself for the accident, He blames the economy for his troubles.
The noun blame, meaning responsibility for wrongdoing, rarely takes a plural.
Claim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
finger-pointing · implication · insinuation · denunciation · prosecution · arraignment · scapegoating · pointing fingers
Obligation for one's actions
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
- onusResponsibility one bears
answerability · burden · ownership · obligation · attribution · assignation · imputation · causation
Harsh verbal criticism
- reprimandFormal expression of disapproval
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- admonishmentExpression of disapproval or warning
- chidingVoicing mild disapproval
berating · censure · condemnation · castigation · upbraiding · criticism · disapproval · lecturing
Unfairly blamed person
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
- shiftingChanging position or form
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- passing the buckTransferring responsibility to others
denial · evasion · projection · displacement · rationalization · cover-up · misdirection · diversion
accusation
Claim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- chargeCost or accusation
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
incrimination · finger-pointing · implication · insinuation · denunciation · prosecution · arraignment · scapegoating · pointing fingers · singling out
accountability
Obligation for one's actions
- liabilityLegal or financial obligation
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
onus · answerability · burden · ownership · obligation · attribution · assignation · imputation · causation · connection
scolding
Harsh verbal criticism
- reprimandFormal expression of disapproval
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- admonishmentExpression of disapproval or warning
chiding · berating · censure · condemnation · castigation · upbraiding · criticism · disapproval · lecturing · dressing-down
scapegoat
Unfairly blamed person
passing the buck · denial · evasion · projection · displacement · rationalization · cover-up · misdirection · diversion · distancing
- criticismscriticizes, disparages, condemns, denounces, censures
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
blamesacquits
Declares legally innocent
exonerates · absolves · credits · clears · vindicates
- to blameResponsible for wrongdoing
- blame gameCompetitive fault deflection
- take the blame
- victim blamingFaulting those who suffered
- blaming othersAssigning fault elsewhere
- lay blame
blame, blamed, blameless, blaming, self-blame, blameworthy, blamelessly, blamer, blamers