blame

1 of 2

verb

blamed; blaming

transitive verb

1
: to find fault with : censure
the right to praise or blame a literary work
2
a
: to hold responsible
they blame me for everything
b
: to place responsibility for
blames it on me
blamer noun
Is it blame on or blame for?: Usage Guide

Use of blame in sense 2b with on has occasionally been disparaged as wrong. Such disparagement is without basis; blame on occurs as frequently in carefully edited prose as blame for. Both are standard.

blame

2 of 2

noun

1
: an expression of disapproval or reproach : censure
… saying nothing … either in the way of blame or praise.R. L. Stevenson
2
a
: a state of being blameworthy : culpability
… acknowledge the world as a world of common blame,Muriel Rukeyser
b
archaic : fault, sin
3
: responsibility for something believed to deserve censure
they must share the blame
blameless adjective
blamelessly adverb
blamelessness noun
Phrases
to blame
: at fault : responsible
says he's not to blame for the accident

Examples of blame in a Sentence

Verb Don't blame me. You are responsible for your own problems. My father always blames everything on me. I blame the poor harvest on the weather. Noun It's not entirely his fault, but he's not completely free of blame, either. willingly accepted the blame for not seeing that the kitchen was properly cleaned
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The measure also eases restrictions that have been blamed for fostering a lax police response to retail and property crimes. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 But the former YouTube Music team is feeling the blow, even if both employers shunt blame to the other party. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 After he was fired on Feb. 2, his sister, a former Cuban television host who now lives in Spain, suggested Gil is being blamed for the government’s political failures. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 But blame Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 Eat Pray Love memoir and the subsequent movie adaptation starring Julia Roberts for the crowds. Annie Daly, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 Civil rights groups and advocates have blamed a heightened and hostile climate against the LGBTQ+ community for contributing to Benedict’s death. Chandelis Duster, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 At the time, pundits blamed older voters who didn’t want to vote for a gay love story. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Some also blamed the budget gap on the school board’s decision last year to grant 15 percent pay raises to employees, which county officials had at the time said would significantly increase the district’s deficit spending. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Although police and school officials remain tight-lipped, activists and trans students have blamed Benedict’s death and poor treatment on Oklahoma’s antagonistic policies surrounding transgender students. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
Don't want to put the blame on any shot or any one play certainly. Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 At her trial, Jennifer Crumbley’s defense pushed blame onto her husband for failing to secure the firearm, on the school for failing to notify her about Ethan’s behavioral issues and on her son for planning and carrying out the heinous shooting. Eric Levenson, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 And the Saudis share some blame for creating this desert Frankenstein, having meddled recklessly in Yemen for many years. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 Hamas has much to answer for in triggering this human tragedy, but Israel and the U.S. are seen as driving events now and getting most of the blame. Thomas L. Friedman, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 The blame game is only stressing colleges out more, after the people who put together financial aid offers spent a week in limbo because of all the political back-and-forth. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 Avoid shame and blame, as that elicits defensiveness. Julie Kratz, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Some locals placed blame for the shooting on a Black man, igniting racial animus among the city’s white population. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2024 The California state auditor has issued two scathing reports over the last five years detailing the problem and placing the blame on the Department of Health Care Services. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French blamer, blasmer, from Late Latin blasphemare to blaspheme, from Greek blasphēmein

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blame was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near blame

Cite this Entry

“Blame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blame. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blame

1 of 2 verb
blamed; blaming
1
: to find fault with : censure
2
a
: to hold responsible
blame them for everything
b
: to place responsibility for
blames it on me
blamable
ˈblā-mə-bəl
adjective
blamably
-blē
adverb
blamer noun

blame

2 of 2 noun
1
: expression of disapproval
receive both blame and praise
2
: responsibility for something that fails : fault
take the blame for the defeat
Etymology

Verb

Middle English blamen "to find fault with," from early French blamer, blasmer (same meaning), from Latin blasphemare "to speak ill of," from Greek blasphemein "to blaspheme" — related to blaspheme

More from Merriam-Webster on blame

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!