blameworthy

adjective

blame·​wor·​thy ˈblām-ˌwər-t͟hē 

: being at fault : deserving blame

blameworthiness noun

Synonyms

• blamable
• censurable
• culpable
• reprehensible
• reproachable

Choose the Right Synonym for blameworthy

blameworthy, blamable, guilty, culpable mean deserving reproach or punishment.

blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility.

conduct adjudged blameworthy

an accident for which no one is blamable

guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing.

guilty of a breach of etiquette

culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence.

culpable neglect

Examples of blameworthy in a Sentence

Their failure to adequately inform participants of the risks was morally blameworthy.

we were all equally blameworthy, whether we had openly approved the free-speech restrictions or simply kept quiet about them

Recent Examples on the Web

Alternatively, if the foundation knew of warning signs, or should have detected warning signs, Learfield might be less blameworthy. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019

But Miss Manners acknowledges that there is also the less blameworthy impulse to offer comfort — not just sympathy — when there is no real comfort to be offered. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025

But even more blameworthy has been the president’s assault on U.S. institutions, which began long before the novel coronavirus appeared and will be felt long after it is gone. —Daron Acemoglu, Foreign Affairs, 23 Mar. 2020

His political support group consists mainly of sycophants who seek status by riding his popular coattails, while the erstwhile staff of his late presidential office have either now become subjects for criminal prosecution or — if not blameworthy — are adamantly urging against his return. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024

On the whole, Google's spam filter, though in this instance imperfect, is not morally blameworthy. —Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 25 Aug. 2023

To highlight the hazy line between blameworthy and praiseworthy failure, Edmondson routinely asks leaders to estimate the percentage of blameworthy mistakes in their organizations. —Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2023

Additionally, studies show that people often direct retribution toward groups rather than individuals, such that people seeking revenge consider all Israelis or all Palestinians to be collectively blameworthy for the most extreme actions of a small number of people. —Joshua Rottman, Scientific American, 20 Nov. 2023

Those blameworthy influencers, in turn, must identify their respective influences and apportion blame among them. —Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blameworthy

• creditworthy
• untrustworthy
• newsworthy
• noteworthy
• praiseworthy
• trustworthy
• unworthy
• worthy

Kids Definition

blameworthy

adjective

blame·​wor·​thy ˈblām-ˌwər-t͟hē 

: deserving blame

blameworthiness noun