Word
culpable
Phoneticscul·pa·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkəɫpəbəɫ/
UK/kˈʌlpəbəl/
Definition
adj. describing someone who is responsible for a crime or a bad situation. You use this when you want to say that a person's actions caused a problem.
adj. deserving blame or punishment for a crime or fault. Often used in legal or formal contexts to describe the degree of responsibility for an offence.
Examples
“The driver was found culpable for the accident.”
“The investigation concluded that the manager was culpable for the safety violations that led to the factory fire.”
“While the primary cause of the financial collapse was systemic, the board was found culpable for failing to monitor the risk levels of the high-stakes investments.”
Examples
simple
“The driver was found culpable for the accident.”
contextual
“The investigation concluded that the manager was culpable for the safety violations that led to the factory fire.”
complex
“While the primary cause of the financial collapse was systemic, the board was found culpable for failing to monitor the risk levels of the high-stakes investments.”
Real-World Examples
“Fearing that the driver was not being held culpable, the victim's family appealed for help.” “She was convicted of the culpable homicide of her daughter following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen in July.” Etymology
From Middle English culpable, from Old French culpable, from Latin culpābilis (“blameworthy”), from culpō (“to blame, condemn”), from culpa (“a fault, crime, mistake”). Compare also culprit.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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