blameful

[ bleym-fuhl ]

adjective

1. deserving blame; blameworthy:

   blameful neglect.

2. Archaic. imputing blame; accusing.

blameful

/ ˈbleɪmfʊl /

adjective

1. deserving blame; guilty

Derived Forms

• ˈblamefully, adverb
• ˈblamefulness, noun

Other Words From

• blameful·ly adverb
• blameful·ness noun
• non·blameful adjective
• non·blameful·ly adverb
• non·blameful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of blameful¹

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

Example Sentences

Ther blood-curse hes laid on these hyar hills full long, an' God Almighty will hold ye blameful ef ye don't stop this killin'.

From Project Gutenberg

No word has ever been uttered to their moral detriment; they are, in this blameful age, among the most blameless of its people.

From Project Gutenberg

And shame me not for nought, I'll freely own whate'er amiss, Or blameful I have wrought.

From Project Gutenberg

Ruskin wrote that in all his life he had never heard from Turner one unkind or blameful word for others.

From Project Gutenberg

I never saw him let pass, without some sorrowful remonstrance or endeavor at mitigation, a blameful word spoken by another.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Blameful

What does blameful mean?

Blameful is used to describe someone or something that deserves to be blamed for something negative that has happened

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

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 blameful indicates the belief that they are responsible for what happened and that they should receive the criticism for having caused it.

Sometimes, people use blameful to describe someone who frequently blames others for things, but this sense of the word has largely fallen out of use.

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

Where does blameful come from?

The first records of the word blameful 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 blameful 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 blameful?

• blamefully (adverb)
• blamefulness (noun)
• blame (verb, noun)

What are some synonyms for blameful?

• blameworthy
• blamable
• censurable

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

• blameless 
• blamable
• blamestorm
• blaspheme
• newsworthy

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

How is blameful used in real life?

Blameful is always used in negative contexts. The word blameworthy means the same thing and is more commonly used.

People blame politicians for this chaos. Just as blameful are the naive/unethical journalists with their unnamed sources

— Hafiz Noor Shams (@__earth) February 24, 2020

.@SecretaryRoss says within trade deficits there are "blameful" ones and "blameless" deficits, such as those caused by energy imports. pic.twitter.com/GbXI8WsDUv

— Jenny Leonard (@jendeben) May 31, 2017

Yes, this comment is so far from the truth. Tax evasion and lies and omissions on loan applications constitute fraud. And intent. His deliberate and purposeful actions are blameful. https://t.co/qS8PogebsM

— Nancy Porter (@scibf) March 8, 2019

Try using blameful!

Is blameful used correctly in the following sentence?

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