Definition of culpabilitynext
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

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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 But the legal system’s binary standard—sane and guilty, or insane and not—fits imperfectly with human intuitions about culpability in tragedies like the Clancys’. Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 However, both may profoundly influence culpability, competency, and the fairness of criminal proceedings. Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 However, the move did not clear the produce company from culpability. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 July 2026 But the show refuses to paint him with monstrous broad strokes, offering enough glimpses of humanity to leave his culpability in doubt. Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for culpability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culpability
Noun
  • Hossain is careful not to place the blame for that pressure solely on men.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The court, in the unanimous decision, placed the blame for the chaos directly at Hoskins.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Many 9/11 first responders alive today feel as Sanchez does, more preoccupied with their survivor’s guilt than their own ailments.
    Lila Dominus, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • They are bound together not only by their shared grief, but also by the unspoken guilt and blame that Lux and Ella can only hope to expiate through each other.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Culpability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culpability. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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