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
Relevance
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
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 onus
That will put more onus on receiver Jaylen Waddle as well as tight ends Tanner Conner and Julian Hill.
—
Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Following the summer sale of attacking spearhead Joao Pedro to Chelsea, the onus is on these four players to produce the type of displays that have helped achieve impressive results against the next three rivals.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Jinga told Sourcing Journal Dexory will place a specific onus on accelerating DexoryView’s development.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 15 Oct. 2025
Instead, nearly all the policies and guidance documents use a case-by-case approach, putting the onus on individual schools and district leaders to make decisions.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Following the summer sale of attacking spearhead Joao Pedro to Chelsea, the onus is on these four players to produce the type of displays that have helped achieve impressive results against the next three rivals.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Jinga told Sourcing Journal Dexory will place a specific onus on accelerating DexoryView’s development.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 15 Oct. 2025
Instead, nearly all the policies and guidance documents use a case-by-case approach, putting the onus on individual schools and district leaders to make decisions.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
-
Moral stain aside, does anyone think such an injection of campus-style activism into the practical business of running the world's financial capital would actually benefit the median New Yorker?—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
If your jute or sisal rug has a stain, skip the dish soap solutions.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Stolarz shouldn’t shoulder all the blame for allowing four goals through two periods.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
On both sides of the ball, the Jets haven't been able to get enough done, but more of the blame falls on the offense.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Limited mobility, social stigma, and inaccessible spaces make isolation and loneliness a common problem.—
Joni Eareckson Tada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Norton’s father said the Pippins provide the visual icon to fight the stigma that is attached to the conversation around anxiety, depression, and mental health.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Halbach's family members told PEOPLE that they are convinced of Avery's guilt, however.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
No parents want to inflict emotional harm on their children, which is why most people strenuously avoid even getting snippy with their parents in front of the kids—and the guilt when an argument does break out can be immense.—
Sara Rowe Mount,
Parents,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
After a few minutes, blot the area and wash the item by hand.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide and use a white cloth to apply it to the stain and blot gently.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
One small study published in 2018 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry noted that phasmophobia can negatively impact sleep as well as social lives due to shame surrounding the fear.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
My morning is completely derailed, which is a shame.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share