blame

[ bleym ]

verb (used with object)

, blamed, blam·ing.

1. to hold responsible; find fault with; censure:

   I don't blame you for leaving him.

   Synonyms: criticize, reprehend, reprove, reproach

2. to place the responsibility for (a fault, error, etc.) (usually followed by on ):

   I blame the accident on her.

   Synonyms: criticize, reprehend, reprove, reproach

3. Informal. blast; damn (used as a mild curse):

   Blame the rotten luck.

noun

1. an act of attributing fault; censure; reproof:

   The judge said he found nothing to justify blame in the accident.

   Synonyms: animadversion, reproach, stricture, condemnation, reprehension

2. responsibility for anything deserving of censure:

   We must all share the blame for this deplorable condition.

   Synonyms: sin, fault, culpability, guilt

blame

/ bleɪm /

noun

1. responsibility for something that is wrong or deserving censure; culpability
2. an expression of condemnation; reproof
3. be to blame
   to be at fault or culpable

verb

1. usually foll by for to attribute responsibility to; accuse

   I blame him for the failure

2. usually foll by on to ascribe responsibility for (something) to

   I blame the failure on him

3. to find fault with

Usage Note

Some speakers avoid blame on as informal ( He blamed the fight on me ), preferring blame alone ( He blamed me ) or blame for ( He blamed me for it ). Since all three forms occur with equal frequency in educated usage, they may all be considered equally acceptable.

Derived Forms

• ˈblamable, adjective
• ˈblamably, adverb

Other Words From

• blamer noun
• over·blame verb (used with object) overblamed overblaming
• self-blame noun
• un·blaming adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of blame¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the verb) Middle English blamen, from Anglo-French, Old French blasmer, from Vulgar Latin blastēmāre (unrecorded), from Late Latin blasphēmāre “to speak irreverently, profanely” ( blaspheme ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of blame¹

C12: from Old French blasmer , ultimately from Late Latin blasphēmāre to blaspheme

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to blame, at fault; censurable:

   I am to blame for his lateness.

More idioms and phrases containing blame

see lay (the blame) on ; to blame .

Synonym Study

Blame, censure, condemn imply finding fault with someone or something. To blame is to hold accountable for, and disapprove because of, some error, mistake, omission, neglect, or the like: Whom do you blame for the disaster? The verb censure differs from the noun in connoting scolding or rebuking even more than adverse criticism: to censure one for extravagance. To condemn is to express an adverse (especially legal) judgment, without recourse: to condemn conduct, a building, a person to death.

Example Sentences

Buettner and others blame the Western lifestyle, which is encroaching.

From Science Magazine

Then I blame myself for not teaching you that you deserve better.

From Salon

I blame the whole generation because obviously, you don't know any better.

From Salon

Furthermore, you can’t look at the numbers on Trump’s spectacular gains with Hispanics and milder but still appreciable gains with Blacks and Asian Americans and then blame Harris’s defeat on racism.

From Salon

And it’s hard to examine voting by gender and blame Harris’s performance on sexism since she lost more support among women than men compared to Biden in 2020.

From Salon

Related Words

• attribute
• charge
• chide
• condemn
• criticize
• denounce
• indict