blamable

or blame·a·ble

[ bley-muh-buhl ]

adjective

1. deserving blame; censurable.

Other Words From

• blama·bly adverb
• non·blama·ble adjective
• non·blama·ble·ness noun
• non·blama·bly adverb
• un·blama·ble adjective
• un·blama·ble·ness noun
• un·blama·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of blamable¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; blame, -able

Example Sentences

If God put a beggar on horseback, would the horse be blamable for galloping to Monte Carlo?

From Project Gutenberg

Violence and excitement, perhaps, differing altogether from what I felt, are no less blamable.

From Project Gutenberg

I choose to know the whole truth; I am a man who can hear it and keep silence about your enterprise, however blamable it maybe.

From Project Gutenberg

It being impossible not to condemn evil, all the commentators discussed the question, What is blamable and what is not blamable?

From Project Gutenberg

But though we think the conduct of the Regicides blamable, that of Milton appears to us in a very different light.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Blamable

What does blamable mean?

Blamable is used to describe someone or something that deserves to be blamed for something negative that has happened. It can also be spelled blameable.

The word blameworthy means the same thing and is more commonly used. Another synonym is blameful.

To blame someone for something is to accuse them of having caused it or to hold them responsible for it. The word blame is always used in the context of something bad that happened—you don’t blame someone for something good. However, when someone is blamed for something, it doesn’t mean they are guilty of it—it simply means they are being accused of being guilty of it.

The word blame can also be used as a noun referring to the responsibility for something negative that happened. This is how the word is used in the phrase assign blame. As a noun, blame can also mean the disapproval, condemnation, or criticism for something bad that happened, as in He deserves most of the blame for the loss.

Calling a person blamable indicates the belief that they are responsible for what happened and that they should receive the criticism for having caused it.

Example: Those who participated in the fraud should be held responsible, but those who knew about it and did nothing are also blamable.

Where does blamable come from?

The first records of the word blamable come from the 1300s. Blame comes from the Late Latin blasphēmāre, meaning “to blaspheme” (“to speak in a disrespectful way about God or other things considered sacred”).

The opposite of blamable is blameless, which is used to describe someone who hasn’t done anything wrong—they haven’t done anything to be blamed for.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to blamable?

• blameable (alternate spelling)
• nonblamable (adjective)
• blame (verb, noun)

What are some synonyms for blamable?

• blameworthy
• blameful
• censurable

What are some words that share a root or word element with blamable? 

• blameless 
• blamestorm
• blaspheme

 

 

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing blamable?

 

 

• guilty
• accuse
• fault
• at fault
• crime
• mistake
• error

How is blamable used in real life?

Blamable is always used in negative contexts. It’s most often used in serious situations, such as those involving a crime or other serious wrongdoing.

So disappointing. Every person on team is blamable for this debacle. Players, Coaches, I'm even beginning to think I'm watching them poorly.

— PONTE (@dcponte) November 30, 2013

Ukraine blamable for majority of own problems: Slovak PM http://t.co/xpnlieC6yc

— New Europe (@New_Europe) May 21, 2014

Finally in Vancouver, only 2 hours behind schedule. Silly weather. Although, really, the weather's only blamable for 1.33 hours of that.

— Kate Mc (@katcall42) July 22, 2011

Try using blamable!

Is blamable used correctly in the following sentence?

“They are equally blamable and deserve the same punishment.”