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
The president's top economic adviser put the onus on Democrats.
—
Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2025
This urgency puts the onus on the woman to reach out and get outside of their comfort zone.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2025
Johnson is also weighing whether to keep his members out of Washington, further putting the onus on the Senate to accept his spending outlines without getting into the grit of health care coverage.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Offering a sharp critique of the industry, Follows argued that the onus was on companies to exhibit greater courage, as was the case in the 1970s, which saw much braver, more diverse and interesting storytelling than what was produced in subsequent decades.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2025
This urgency puts the onus on the woman to reach out and get outside of their comfort zone.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2025
Johnson is also weighing whether to keep his members out of Washington, further putting the onus on the Senate to accept his spending outlines without getting into the grit of health care coverage.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Offering a sharp critique of the industry, Follows argued that the onus was on companies to exhibit greater courage, as was the case in the 1970s, which saw much braver, more diverse and interesting storytelling than what was produced in subsequent decades.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
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The recklessness of Netanyahu's government has smeared on Israel's face a stain that will be difficult to erase even with a generation's effort.—
Ehud Barak,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Cream of Tartar & Lemon Juice Paste Like baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, cream of tartar and lemon shockingly has cleaning and brightening properties that are effective for lifting dirt and stains off grout lines.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Democratic elders have sought to cast blame on Republicans for the shutdown, arguing it could be averted if the GOP agreed to attach provisions to the CR enacting healthcare reforms.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Oct. 2025
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That damaging psychic weight of insecurity and self-blame seeps into our society and politics, where polls show a stubborn and longtime trend of declining faith in a better future.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Yet despite the stigma, STIs are far more common than many realize.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
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Megan was also part of the Seize the Awkward campaign in 2023, which focused on breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An Alford plea is one in which a defendant admits no guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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Variety spoke with Frankel about Grasso and Tom’s final confrontation, whether the detective was using Lizzie in earlier episodes, and the Catholic guilt riddled throughout the series.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
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Take care not to touch the glands, or your hands will carry their taint to the meat.—
Maurice H. Decker,
Outdoor Life,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For ink and permanent marker stains, blot with a solvent like rubbing alcohol or acetone first.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Alaves is the only blot on their copybook.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This person has brought shame and disgrace to the badge and to an honorable profession.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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People can feel a lot of shame about being in credit card debt.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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