pass the buck

Cultural  

1. To shift blame from oneself to another person: “Passing the buck is a way of life in large bureaucracies.” (See the buck stops here.)

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pass the buck Idioms  

1. Shift responsibility or blame elsewhere, as in She's always passing the buck to her staff; it's time she accepted the blame herself. This expression dates from the mid-1800s, when in a poker game a piece of buckshot or another object was passed around to remind a player that he was the next dealer. It acquired its present meaning by about 1900.

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Example Sentences

Indeed, her focus on grand jury materials controlled by the judiciary is plainly an effort to pass the buck and obscure the fact that she has some independent authority to disclose information.

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2025

It suggested the State Bar was trying to pass the buck for its own failures.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2025

Not everyone was ready to let Bondi pass the buck, though.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2025

Mr. Sanders said the judge might not let Mr. Trump and his sons pass the buck to accountants and other outside help.

From Washington Times • Nov. 3, 2023

So he had decided to try and pass the buck.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols