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
James Folta, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
When Congress was writing the drug laws in the 1980s and ‘90s, it was thought that higher purity in meth suggested greater culpability.
—Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
As much as those who exploited Holocaust memory and human-rights discourse for potential gain, the anti-totalitarians are culpable for the near-total breakdown of political and moral norms today.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Noun
Implying that the chatbot and image generation program itself is accountable allows people to hide from their own culpability in the bot’s shadow.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
When Congress was writing the drug laws in the 1980s and ‘90s, it was thought that higher purity in meth suggested greater culpability.
—Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Jurors found Texas blogger Milagro Cooper culpable of defamation, and has been ordered to pay Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, $75,000.
—Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
As much as those who exploited Holocaust memory and human-rights discourse for potential gain, the anti-totalitarians are culpable for the near-total breakdown of political and moral norms today.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
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The blame game for what’s behind the beef price surge has pressured the White House to respond.—
Enda Curran,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Navarro sought to pin the blame for soaring costs on former President Joe Biden, who left office over a year ago.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Georgalis said a jury may be able to find Ortiz guilty by association.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Four Navy veterans had already pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy before this latest indictment.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Plagued by guilt for having run over a person and fled, she is confronted by demons, both personal and supernatural.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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And so as a result of all of this, chocolate is wrapped up with many different emotions that link in many ways to our own morality or a sense of guilt.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Extreme cold made the O-rings fail, but NASA’s culture was just as blameworthy and needed a retrofit more urgently than any piece of shuttle hardware.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
28 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Culpability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culpability. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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