as in to criticize
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
more concerned with pleasing audiences, the playwright has always claimed to be indifferent to whether critics praise his comedies or blame them without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in guilt
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
willingly accepted the blame for not seeing that the kitchen was properly cleaned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in responsibility
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right
blame for the school's poor performance in standardized tests was attributed to several factors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blame
Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Niles suspended its free in-town Pace bus service last fall blaming a dispute with the suburban commuter bus company over paying insurance.
—Elizabeth Owens-Schiele, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Crowley’s lawsuit, however, lays blame for the fire at the feet of the mayor and city leaders, saying the city historically failed to properly fund the LAFD, leaving the agency understaffed and backlogged in the maintenance of vehicles and other equipment.
—City News Service, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blame
Verb
For his plight, Corby blames a female co-worker who was hired three years after him but was regularly given better assignments.
—Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Niles suspended its free in-town Pace bus service last fall blaming a dispute with the suburban commuter bus company over paying insurance.
—Elizabeth Owens-Schiele, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is placing blame on the city clerk’s office and Atlanta City Council for nearly $1 million in consulting payments made to the former clerk tasked with overseeing signature verification for a referendum on the city’s public safety training center that never began.
—Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Crowley’s lawsuit, however, lays blame for the fire at the feet of the mayor and city leaders, saying the city historically failed to properly fund the LAFD, leaving the agency understaffed and backlogged in the maintenance of vehicles and other equipment.
—City News Service, Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blame
Verb
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Immediately, Lilian criticized herself for being too bleak, protesting on behalf of those who were inadvertently encompassed by her thoughts.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
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Immediately following the strikes, most Democrats and some Republicans criticized the president for authorizing strikes without a vote from Congress and without, in their view, directly making the case to Americans.—
Ford McCracken,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Letters admitting compulsions and guilt Judge Lopez must also weigh whether letters Cox wrote to a judge in 1993 and 1995 will be admissible.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026
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My boredom typically spurs feelings of frustration, guilt, shame—and long nutritionless spells of goggling, slack-jawed, at celebrity news on my phone while the world throbs around me.—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Simmons’ priorities are fiscal stability with responsibility, public health and accountability around the operation of the county jail.—
Rachel Royster
Updated March 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
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January 20 – February 18 Trust deep bonds to clarify shared responsibilities.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the political aftermath, former and current leadership seized on the incident to fault Mamdani’s leadership, saying the mayor’s earlier criticisms of the NYPD had fostered a climate of disrespect for law enforcement.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Feb. 2026
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D'Souza said the group understands delays and cancellations, but faulted the communication.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The California Democrat condemned ICE enforcement operations in Los Angeles and beyond that have resulted in the deaths of citizens.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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The president solemnly condemned political violence—the same president who ended his first term by inciting a mob to sack Congress and overturn an election.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But there were also reports of protests in some parts of Iran on Sunday denouncing the war and calling for retribution.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
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Paris also saw a small counter-protest Sunday by left-wing groups denouncing ″American imperialism″ and warning of broader war.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blame. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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