recrimination

American  

[ri-krim-uh-ney-shuhn] / rɪˌkrɪm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of recriminating, or countercharging.

   Hope gave way to recrimination with both sides claiming the moral high ground.

2. a countercharge.

   The poll suggests that the public is frustrated by the bickering and recriminations.

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recrimination British  

/ rɪˌkrɪmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of recriminating

2. law a charge made by an accused against his accuser; countercharge

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Other Word Forms

• self-recrimination
  noun

Etymology

Origin of recrimination

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Late Latin recrimination-, stem of recriminatio “criticism,” equivalent to Medieval Latin recrīmināt(us), past participle of recrīminārī “to accuse in turn” + -iō -ion ( def. ); see recriminate ( def. )

Explanation

Sometimes you accuse your opponent of refusing to compromise and he accuses you of the same thing. That’s a recrimination, an accusation or insult that’s hurled back at someone. If you’ve ever been in a verbal disagreement with someone, odds are that you’ve experienced recriminations. You can remember it by noticing that crim as in "crime" is part of the word. When recriminations fly back and forth between two sides, each accuses the other of crimes in the metaphorical sense. Once the emergencies of a disaster have been taken care of, recriminations are sometimes hurled at those in charge for the way the crisis was handled.

Example Sentences

Since everything these days seems to call for a snappy abbreviation, let’s use HRD, for Hindsight Recrimination Disorder.

From Washington Post • May 5, 2020

Recrimination, indeed, is loudly urged by our sex in Paris; they blame the women, with a view of extenuating their own irregularities, which scarcely know any limits.

From Paris as It Was and as It Is by Blagdon, Francis W.

Recrimination is vexation, Sedition is as bad; Home Rule the-o-ry much puzzles J.B.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 101, December 5, 1891 by Various

Recrimination had displaced affection as an indulgence, almost as an entertainment, and there were nights when they would go to sleep trying to remember who was angry and who should be reserved next morning.

From The Beautiful and Damned by Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott)

Recrimination thereanent is useless and only subjects me to renewed bantering.

From Facing the Flag by Verne, Jules

Related Words

• allegation
• complaint
• denunciation
• impeachment
• indictment