culpability
State of fault
Culpability is the state of deserving blame for wrongdoing—being at fault.
Legal contexts distinguish degrees: The jury had to determine his culpability in the fraud scheme.
Someone culpable bears responsibility; someone with no culpability is blameless.
The word carries more weight than mere involvement—it implies moral or legal accountability for harm done.
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- sinViolation of divine law
- transgressionViolation of law or code
misconduct · ethics · conscience · morality · iniquity · turpitude · wickedness · immorality
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
- finger-pointingAssigning blame openly
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- denunciationFormal public accusation
reproach · condemnation · censure · allegation · indictment · rebuke · implication · aspersion
Legal or financial obligation
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
- defendantParty facing charges
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
verdict · plea · conviction · acquittal · testimony · evidence · arraignment · litigation
State of being answerable
- answerabilityObligation to explain oneself
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- dutyRequired moral task
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
transparency · stewardship · trustworthiness · integrity · reliability · dependability · commitment · charge
Guilt for wrongdoing
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- regretSorrow over past actions
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
compunction · repentance · penitence · confession · atonement · conscience · guilty · torment
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- sinViolation of divine law
transgression · misconduct · ethics · conscience · morality · iniquity · turpitude · wickedness · immorality · fault
blame
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
- finger-pointingAssigning blame openly
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
denunciation · reproach · condemnation · censure · allegation · indictment · rebuke · implication · aspersion · complicity
liability
Legal or financial obligation
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
- defendantParty facing charges
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
indictment · verdict · plea · conviction · acquittal · testimony · evidence · arraignment · litigation · adjudication
responsibility
State of being answerable
- answerabilityObligation to explain oneself
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- dutyRequired moral task
oversight · transparency · stewardship · trustworthiness · integrity · reliability · dependability · commitment · charge · burden
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- regretSorrow over past actions
self-reproach · compunction · repentance · penitence · confession · atonement · conscience · guilty · torment · anguish
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, take responsibility, answerability
- apologiessorry, forgive me, my mistake, sincere apology, I am sorry
- guiltguilty, guilt trip, guilty conscience, remorseful, contrition
- wrongswrong, wrongdoing, misdeed, mistake, error
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- legal responsibilityliability, negligence, duty of care, accountability, fault
culpabilityinnocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
blamelessness · guiltlessness · faultlessness · exoneration · exculpation
culpabilityvictimhood
State of being wronged
non-involvement · uninvolvement · injured party · innocent bystander · collateral damage
- moral culpabilityDeserved blame for wrongdoing