as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
cannot find culpability where there is neither knowledge that a crime has been committed nor evidence of intent to commit a crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in guilty
deserving reproach or blame
are you any less culpable for murder if you acted in the heat of passion?
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of culpability
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
The aversion to speaking of death is compounded by collective culpability.
—Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
Like the conspiracy, Wenger’s steroids conviction hinged on the word of a man who was more legally culpable than Wenger himself.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Noun
Sam becomes the subject of an intense missing persons investigation and a dead giveaway for Robbie’s culpability should he be discovered by Perry (Jamie McShane), a biker gang member seeking revenge for the crime.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
The aversion to speaking of death is compounded by collective culpability.
—Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Fox Sports and the NFL are equally culpable in creating a situation that has an easy solution that neither party has any interest in pursuing.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
Like the conspiracy, Wenger’s steroids conviction hinged on the word of a man who was more legally culpable than Wenger himself.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
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While no blame was assigned, the hearings were open to the public and often gave interested parties, including family members of the person killed, their first opportunity for answers.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
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Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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While the award could influence Parker to plead guilty, her loss in the civil suit won’t be admissible as evidence in the criminal proceeding.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The assassin is found guilty of shooting Garfield and is sentenced to death.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Robertas Petraitis, known from Lithuania’s 2026 Oscar contender The Southern Chronicles, stars as Andrius, who is full of grief and guilt after a masked intruder kills his secret lover Deividas (Elvinas Juodkazis), who is Lithuania’s most influential human rights activist.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
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Baramulla ultimately transcends its supernatural thriller form to become a parable about guilt, faith, and collective memory.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As the shutdown goes on, moreover, the polling on which side is more to blame seems to be gradually shifting toward Democrats as the more blameworthy side.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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His Stoic Challenge framework invites you to see a setback not as something terrible, blameworthy or unfair but instead as a test of your ingenuity and resilience.—
Hanna Hart,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culpability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culpability. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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