Word
blame
US/ˈbɫeɪm/
UK/blˈeɪm/
Definitions
01to attribute responsibility
B1 · Intermediate
v. to say or think that someone or something is the cause of a bad result.
v. to attribute responsibility for a fault or error to a specific person or cause. Transitive; typically takes a direct object followed by 'for'.
日本語:責める※
“Don't blame me for the mess; I wasn't even in the kitchen.”
“Economists often blame the sudden market downturn on a combination of high interest rates and low consumer confidence.”
Pitfall
He blamed his failure to the weather.
He blamed his failure on the weather.
You blame something 'on' someone, or blame someone 'for' something. Do not use 'to'.
02responsibility for a fault
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the responsibility for a mistake or something bad that has happened.
n. the state of being responsible for a negative outcome or a moral failure. Uncountable in most contexts.
“The driver accepted the blame for the accident because he was speeding.”
“The CEO refused to take the blame for the company's losses, instead pointing to global supply chain disruptions.”
Synonyms
03source control history
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a tool in computer programming that shows which person wrote a specific line of code.
n. a feature in version control systems that annotates each line of a file with the name of the last person to modify it.
“I used the blame tool to see who changed the login settings last week.”
“Running a git blame on the configuration file revealed that the bug was introduced during the last security patch.”
Usage
Often used as a command name in software like Git.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “blame” in context.
Verb
01. accept the blame
“The manager was willing to accept the blame for the team's failure.”
verb + noun
02. blame someone for something
“You can't blame the weather for your lack of preparation.”
verb + noun + prep
03. lay the blame
“Critics lay the blame for the crisis on the government's economic policies.”
verb + noun
04. shift the blame
“Instead of fixing the problem, he tried to shift the blame onto his colleagues.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. entirely to blame
“The driver was found to be entirely to blame for the accident.”
adv + adj
06. partly to blame
“Poor communication was partly to blame for the misunderstanding.”
adv + adj
Preposition
07. at blame
“It is still not clear which party is at blame for the breach of contract.”
prep + noun
08. share of the blame
“Everyone involved must take their fair share of the blame.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Over the weekend, the blame seemed to shift from Russell’s car to the driver, then back to the car again.” “The culture of blaming parents who allow their children time on devices is also unhelpful.” Etymology
From Middle English blame, borrowed from Old French blame, blasme, produced from the verb blasmer, which in turn is derived from Late Latin blastēmāre, variant of blasphēmāre, from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω (blasphēméō). Doublet of blaspheme. Displaced native Old English tǣling (“blame”) and tǣlan (“to blame”).
From Middle English blamen, borrowed from Old French blasmer, from Late Latin blasphēmāre (“to reproach, to revile”), from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω (blasphēméō). Compare blaspheme, a doublet. Overtook common use from the native wite (“to blame, accuse, reproach, suspect”) (from Middle English wīten, from Old English wītan).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. blame Canada
02. blame game
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/blame
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0