blameless

[bleym-lis]

adjective

1. free from or not deserving blame; guiltless.

   a blameless child.

   Synonyms: irreproachable
   Antonyms: guilty

blameless

/ ˈbleɪmlɪs /

adjective

1. free from blame; innocent

Other Word Forms

• blamelessly adverb
• blamelessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of blameless¹

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

Synonym Study

See innocent.

Example Sentences

The polluting companies, and the government that is supposed to regulate them, are blameless.

From Salon

The letter says that while the reasons for the problems are still debated, the "skilled and committed workforce is entirely blameless".

From BBC

Despite its contradictory history as a symbol of democracy built by enslaved people, it is a blameless externalization of America.

From Salon

Ange is not totally blameless I agree, but the right backing he would be great.

From BBC

Continuing a growing trend of woeful performances in series finales, the tourists were shot out for 143 inside 36 overs in blameless conditions.

From BBC

When To Use

What does blameless mean?

Blameless is used to describe someone who hasn’t done anything wrong—they haven’t done anything to be blamed for.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. 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.However, the word blameless typically implies that a person is completely innocent. It’s often used in negative constructions to suggest the opposite.Example: Those who participated in the fraud should be held responsible, but those who knew about it and did nothing are not blameless.