Definition

Adjective: - Deserving blame or censure: Describes actions, behavior, or a person that is considered wrong, evil, or injurious and therefore worthy of disapproval, criticism, or moral condemnation.

Usage

The adjective "blameworthy" is used to attribute fault or moral responsibility. It is a formal term often found in legal, ethical, or serious evaluative contexts. It modifies nouns like behavior, conduct, actions, or individual.

Examples

• The investigator found the company's neglect of safety protocols to be blameworthy.
• While the error was serious, her intentions were not blameworthy.
• In the court's view, his blameworthy actions directly led to the accident.

Advanced Usage

• "to be blameworthy for (something)": To be deserving of blame for a specific thing.
  • The manager was deemed blameworthy for the data breach.
• "morally blameworthy": Emphasizes that the fault lies in violating ethical or moral standards, not just rules.
  • Lying under oath is considered morally blameworthy.

Variants and Related Words

• Blameful (adjective): An older, less common synonym for blameworthy.
• Blameworthiness (noun): The quality or state of deserving blame.
  • The report discussed the blameworthiness of the decision.

Synonyms

• Culpable: Deserving blame (often used in legal contexts).
• Censurable: Deserving strong disapproval or reprimand.
• Reprehensible: Deserving censure or condemnation; very bad.
• At fault: Responsible for an error or problem.

Antonyms

• Blameless: Free from blame; innocent.
• Irreproachable: Beyond criticism; faultless.
• Exemplary: Serving as a desirable model; very good.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To hold someone blameworthy": To formally judge someone as deserving blame.
  • The committee held the director blameworthy for the project's failure.

Adjective

1. deserving blame or censure as being wrong or evil or injurious
   • blameworthy if not criminal behavior
   • censurable misconduct
   • culpable negligence