1
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
hoping to avoid the onus of failure by lowering expectations ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
he perpetually tries to shift the onus for any mistakes onto other team members
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onus
The Swedish startup tells customers that apps created through its service will be secure, but puts the onus on users to safeguard their creations.
—
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
Social media giants, like Meta, X and Snap, have voiced support for shifting the onus of age verification onto app stores, as the conversation comes to Washington.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 28 May 2025
As the last generation to know a world without generative AI, the onus is on us to ensure that the age of artificial intelligence elevates, rather than erodes, natural intelligence.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
An onus is on the quarterback to handle the verbiage, pre-snap adjustments and option routes.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 June 2025
Social media giants, like Meta, X and Snap, have voiced support for shifting the onus of age verification onto app stores, as the conversation comes to Washington.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 28 May 2025
As the last generation to know a world without generative AI, the onus is on us to ensure that the age of artificial intelligence elevates, rather than erodes, natural intelligence.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
An onus is on the quarterback to handle the verbiage, pre-snap adjustments and option routes.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
-
Your cleaner of choice for stubborn grease, stains, and odors on pots and pans may be half a lemon and salt or baking soda, but take note of the materials they’re made with.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
-
Lie down on an old towel to protect your surface from oil stains.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
The New York Yankees' infield has underperformed this season, and one of their former top prospects is not free of blame.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
-
Boeing received much of the blame for delivering the plane to Alaska Air without the four bolts needed to hold the door plug in place.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Using a phone to check your email or calendar are secondhand actions for workers, done without any stigma.—
John Schneider,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
This helps reduce stigma and empowers women to seek care that addresses the root causes of their health changes.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
In very unhinged behavior, Lucy tracks Sophie down (after her boss expressly tells her the client doesn't want any contact whatsoever), and unsurprisingly, Sophie admonishes her for invading her privacy in an attempt to absolve her feelings of guilt.—
Aisha Harris,
NPR,
21 June 2025
-
The Holocaust looms over discussions about Israel, with many claiming the country’s sense of historical guilt has made it, until recently, reluctant to criticize Israeli politics.—
Agnes Mueller,
The Conversation,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Some argued that, given the presumptive unethical taint of such collections, human remains should be buried or otherwise respectfully disposed of.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
-
That realization tends to color behavior, and taints the findings.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Pretreat any stains with a stain remover of choice and blot with a dry white cloth to remove as much stain prior to washing.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Add a bit more color to the corners of the lips, then use your fingers to blot and blur the edges, as needed.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Which is a shame, because there are alternatives to demolition, including one on display just a few blocks away.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
27 June 2025
-
His parents, Polish immigrants who fled German conquest and discrimination, took Indian land—and felt shame over doing so, having been uprooted themselves.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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