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
Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
For decades, industries hoping to avoid regulation have reminded us about our personal culpability for social problems.
—Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Their problems are myriad and appear contagious, with just about every player culpable recently.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Noun
Not to be outdone, Meta, fighting a pivotal lawsuit about its culpability with teens and social media addiction, also started multiple super PACs recently, dumping in tens of millions to support candidates — Republican or Democrat — who are against AI regulation (or at least any laws with teeth).
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
For decades, industries hoping to avoid regulation have reminded us about our personal culpability for social problems.
—Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Over the course of five weeks, jurors heard from therapists, engineers, tech executives including Zuckerberg, and the plaintiff herself about just how culpable big tech companies should be for contributing to KGM's mental health struggles.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026
Their problems are myriad and appear contagious, with just about every player culpable recently.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
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Despite the ministry identifying the desalination plant attack as coming from an Iranian airstrike, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied responsibility for the strike and shifted the blame to Israel.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Peters is not alone in accepting blame for his generation.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The records pulled back a curtain on favor-trading and frank communications in a chummy elite that looked past Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to solicitating prostitution from an underage girl in Florida.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Prisoners who are guilty of various violent crimes were not eligible, according to the embassy.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With busy schedules, sitting down to eat a meal as a family can be tricky and cause feelings of guilt.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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The Israeli justice ministry has since advised Herzog against the move, citing the lack of a conviction, the absence of remorse or admission of guilt.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 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 8 Apr. 2026.
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