as in guilty
deserving reproach or blame
we were all equally blameworthy, whether we had openly approved the free-speech restrictions or simply kept quiet about them
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Recent Examples of blameworthy
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 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
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
In a study that gave participants a scenario of an accidental fire that caused property damage, speakers of languages like English that give agentive descriptions tended to judge the plaintiff as more blameworthy and award them higher financial penalties.
—Sofia Quaglia, WIRED, 19 July 2023
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025
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
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
In a study that gave participants a scenario of an accidental fire that caused property damage, speakers of languages like English that give agentive descriptions tended to judge the plaintiff as more blameworthy and award them higher financial penalties.
—Sofia Quaglia, WIRED, 19 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blameworthy
Adjective
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Joly was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and 16 counts of hostage taking of a U.S. national for ransom.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2025
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Often, entrepreneurs can feel guilty about taking time for themselves, but Biggins and White say the data shows that the investment in time and energy pays off in terms of better performance.—
Trevor Clawson,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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The Framers understood the danger of a despotic regime and regarded the criminal jury trial as a key procedural safeguard to help ensure that only those acts and individuals society deemed truly culpable result in criminal punishment.—
Mike Fox,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
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His legal team presented arguments that the more culpable perpetrator received a lesser sentence and that a recent autism diagnosis were mitigating factors worthy of a clemency recommendation.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Of the $15 million that the jury awarded Depp, $5 million was in punitive damages aimed to punish Heard for especially reprehensible conduct.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Apr. 2025
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Whereas Serena could easily have emerged as a one-note villain, from the beginning of her tenure on the series, Strahovski has imbued Serena with a soulfulness that often puts the audience uncomfortably on her side, despite her reprehensible actions.—
Scarlett Harris,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blameworthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blameworthy. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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