culpable

[ kuhl-puh-buhl ]

adjective

1. deserving blame or censure; blameworthy.

   Synonyms: reprehensible

culpable

/ ˈkʌlpəbəl /

adjective

1. deserving censure; blameworthy

Derived Forms

• ˌculpaˈbility, noun
• ˈculpably, adverb

Other Words From

• culpa·bili·ty culpa·ble·ness noun
• culpa·bly adverb
• non·culpa·ble adjective
• non·culpa·ble·ness noun
• non·culpa·bly adverb
• un·culpa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of culpable¹

1275–1325; Middle English < Latin culpābilis, equivalent to culpā ( re ) to hold liable (derivative of culpa blame) + -bilis -ble; replacing Middle English coupable < Middle French < Latin as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of culpable¹

C14: from Old French coupable, from Latin culpābilis, from culpāre to blame, from culpa fault

Example Sentences

On Monday, he recast the accusation to say it was specific individuals posting dangerous information who are culpable.

From ProPublica

I think people who are not on their radar, or considered low level now, will be found more culpable, and those higher-level people will get significant sentences.

From Washington Post

As its database further grows, however, we could see a new GWAS landscape, powered by millions of data points, that hunts down culpable genes at breakneck speed—informing treatment decisions to save lives.

From Singularity Hub 

Media houses that rolled over for India’s rulers are equally culpable.

From Time

NBC 7 San Diego seemed to provide one of the most significant revelations last week that Gloria was culpable not just of approving it and enthusiastically supporting it but of perhaps fraudulently pushing it through approval.

From Voice of San Diego

How culpable are sites like Facebook, Google, and Apple in aiding potential spying, and the loss of privacy?

From The Daily Beast

Russia should be regarded as culpable if separatists brought down this plane.

From The Daily Beast

I viewed the Zooey character as the colder one, and more culpable.

From The Daily Beast

But looking over decades of celebrity shots provokes a startling revelation: we're culpable too.

From The Daily Beast

Moreover, American political figures who have proudly associated with The Family and with Rick Warren are culpable as well.

From The Daily Beast

More foolish, more culpable weakness was never shown than in thus yielding to these schemes.

From Project Gutenberg

And if justice be not done, they are also culpable;—because of the want of such a power justice is not to be undone.

From Project Gutenberg

A sovereign could not, without a culpable sacrifice of his personal dignity, persist longer in such a contest.

From Project Gutenberg

They relate to the culpable remissness of these Knoxville leaders in failing to volunteer in the cause of the Confederacy.

From Project Gutenberg

The persons really culpable were those who sent them out without a proper staff, and without the smallest foresight.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• guilty
• impeachable
• liable
• reprehensible
• responsible

More About Culpable

What does culpable mean?

Culpable means deserving blame for a crime or wrongdoing.

When someone is described as culpable for something, it means it’s their fault or that they are guilty of it.

Culpable is typically used in serious legal contexts involving crimes.

The noun culpability refers to the guilt or blame that is deserved for some crime or wrongdoing.

Example: The CEO should be held criminally culpable for the negligence that resulted in the deaths of several employees.

Where does culpable come from?

The first records of the word culpable come from around 1300. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb culpāre, meaning “to hold liable,” from the Latin culpa, meaning “blame.” Culpa also appears in the Latin phrase mea culpa, meaning “my fault.”

You’re culpable if you’re responsible for something going wrong. Even if you weren’t the one who directly caused harm, you could still be considered legally culpable if you had some role in it. For example, if it was your responsibility to ensure the safety of others by inspecting equipment and you neglected to do so, you could be held culpable if people were hurt as a result of your negligence.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to culpable?

• culpably (adverb)
• culpability (noun)
• culpableness (noun)
• nonculpable (adjective)

What are some synonyms for culpable?

• at fault
• responsible
• liable
• guilty
• blameworthy

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

• culpable homicide
• mea culpa
• culpa

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

• fault
• negligence
• party
• action
• defendant
• criminal
• behavior
• accountable

How is culpable used in real life?

Culpable is usually used in a very serious way. It’s especially used in a legal context.

Attorney General finds no one criminally culpable in death of India Cummings https://t.co/uBUZpXP9Dv

— The Buffalo News (@TheBuffaloNews) October 3, 2020

Ugly #Antisemitism in a country where occupying Nazis destroyed most of the historic #Jewish community. Need Greek political figures, religious leaders, and media to show solidarity and hold anti-Semites culpable https://t.co/IoqTkJhEpu

— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) December 31, 2019

Mike Pence should be impeached for his handling of COVID-19.

*Lied about the dangers
*Has led us to the worst death rate in the world
*Still refuses to embrace masks and social distancing

He is culpable for the 211,000 lives lost and 7 million people infected.

— Aisha C. Mills (@AishaMoodMills) October 8, 2020

 

 

Try using culpable!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of culpable?

A. illegal
B. responsible
C. liable
D. blameworthy