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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onus
Critics of the efforts to overhaul the database argue that the onus could fall on food companies to show that their offerings are safe, which could have major implications for the industry.
—
Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 4 Mar. 2026
At present, Watkins is labouring and injuries to influential ball progressors, including Youri Tielemans and John McGinn, leave the onus on Villa’s attacking strategy to be built around Rogers.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Rather, the onus falls on the person whose driver’s license was deemed invalid to get a new one.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Spoelstra put the onus on his team’s collective defense.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onus
Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 4 Mar. 2026
At present, Watkins is labouring and injuries to influential ball progressors, including Youri Tielemans and John McGinn, leave the onus on Villa’s attacking strategy to be built around Rogers.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Rather, the onus falls on the person whose driver’s license was deemed invalid to get a new one.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Spoelstra put the onus on his team’s collective defense.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
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Walk the inside perimeter and glance at ceilings or upper walls for any water stains, especially in attic spaces.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
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Leading their rise to prominence are recent debuts from Huda Beauty and Summer Fridays to Covergirl and NYX, all of which promise the precision of a classic liner with the staying power of a stain.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Kondayya puts some of the blame for the crash on the city, alleging the backhoe was parked illegally.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring Pakistani militant groups; both sides deny targeting civilians while trading blame for attacks.—
Munir Ahmed,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The biggest negative impact is the lack of accessibility for women, who have to seek out unsafe methods, as well as the social stigma.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
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Mara asked for her last name to be withheld given the stigma tied to receiving government assistance.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Rarely have an actor's eyes been put to such good use, as Murphy's thousand-yard stare communicates guilt, regret, and anxious anticipation of how his life's work will impact the world for generations to come.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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His parents, Frank and Tiffany Urrutia, said they were stunned to hear Perez admit guilt during Thursday’s court hearing.—
Abby Dodge,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Iran, a war targeting regime change and the destruction of its nuclear capacities — laudable goals — also has the suspicious taint of being all about oil.—
Markos Kounalakis,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
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The taint of being part of the cheating 2017 Astros has worn off over the years, and Cubs fans are banging the drum for Bregman’s arrival, excited to have an offensive upgrade from Matt Shaw, who can still learn a lot from playing multiple positions and watching from the bench.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But the blot on Sacramento State’s basketball resume is the road record.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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The left-back has started 123 of the last 125 games and 86 of the last 87, with the blot on his card arriving late last season when manager Oliver Glasner rested key players after Palace won the FA Cup.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There’s no shame in making mistakes, even if the franchise has made the same mistakes for two-plus decades.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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The sport has come a long way since the juiced glory days of the 1990s and early 2000s, enacting frequent testing, punishment and public shame.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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