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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of culpability
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 June 2025
But their legal outcomes will all depend on each person’s age and culpability, experts said.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025
Extensive testing showed no genetic or environmental cause for her son’s condition, yet Hess felt somehow culpable.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Noun
By any measure, climate denialism is a poor way to duck culpability for humanity’s environmental messes.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 June 2025
But their legal outcomes will all depend on each person’s age and culpability, experts said.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Adjective
The majority sees no problem in executing someone whose co-defendant might have been more culpable but was smart enough to cop a deal to elude the death penalty.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025
Extensive testing showed no genetic or environmental cause for her son’s condition, yet Hess felt somehow culpable.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
-
It could be argued that the question was more about accountability than blame.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
17 July 2025
-
Aspirational Luxury Falls In 2025, the luxury market is looking down the barrel at its first major slowdown in 15 years, excepting the Covid years, and BCG puts much of the blame on brands’ overemphasizing the aspirational consumer segment.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
At the time, Scott pleaded guilty to one count of animal crushing, which refers to extreme and intentional acts of torture inflicted upon animals, often for the purpose of creating shock films.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
30 July 2025
-
Ghaly pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and was sentenced in November to 230 days in jail, plus probation.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
There's a lot of guilt … a ton of fear, but there's also deep gratitude.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
-
Wood sent to prison after violating probation A Jan. 1, 2010, incident — five months after his initial probation ended — led to an admission of guilt by Wood.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
But Miss Manners acknowledges that there is also the less blameworthy impulse to offer comfort — not just sympathy — when there is no real comfort to be offered.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culpability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culpability. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share