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
Relevance
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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
The question of whether or not Uniqlo is fast fashion or sustainable fashion or ethical fashion has perhaps become irrelevant in a world in which fashion—no modifier needed—is increasingly culpable for the ravaging of the planet.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 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
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
The question of whether or not Uniqlo is fast fashion or sustainable fashion or ethical fashion has perhaps become irrelevant in a world in which fashion—no modifier needed—is increasingly culpable for the ravaging of the planet.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
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Miller argues that universities are breeding grounds for ideological intolerance, laying blame on Marxist ideas.—
Mitch Picasso , Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
18 Oct. 2025
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When asked about his final interception, Beck appeared to place blame on a teammate for running the wrong route, rather than taking full responsibility himself.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In May 2023, Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Masterson guilty of two counts of rape, per the Los Angeles Times.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Brodie, whowas found guilty of violating American sanctions on Cuba in the early 2000s, was denied pardon by former President Joe Biden in 2023.—
Melanie Hicken,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Like regular depression, SAD can cause negative feelings like hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, and guilt; fatigue or reduced energy; a loss of interest in hobbies and activities; and even physical aches and pains (including headaches, cramps, and digestive problems).—
Maggie O'Neill,
SELF,
20 Oct. 2025
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In Kleinschmidt’s lightly disguised description published in the journal American Imago, Roth is depicted as a southern playwright suffering from dreadful guilt over leaving his wife—this, of course, a strikingly different version than Roth’s own obsessively repetitive account.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2025.
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