Culpability
noun /ˌkʌlpəˈbɪlɪti/ — Responsibility for a fault or wrong.
Definition
Responsibility for a fault or wrong; the state of being morally responsible for something blameworthy — the quality of being guilty or deserving blame.
Beyond the definition
Culpability sits between guilt and innocence, but it is more nuanced than either. One can have culpability without criminal guilt; one can share culpability across many parties; culpability can be diminished by circumstance without being eliminated. It is the word for the moral weight of having contributed to harm.
Origin & history
From Latin culpabilis (blameworthy), from culpa (fault, blame). The root of mea culpa — my fault. In law, culpability is the degree of moral blameworthiness attached to conduct.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The inquiry distributed culpability across several departments, finding no single person entirely responsible.
She accepted her own culpability without deflecting it onto circumstances.
Diminished culpability in law recognises that not all wrongdoing is freely chosen.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Culpability” when the meaning fits your context: Responsibility for a fault or wrong; the state of being morally responsible for something blameworthy — the quality of being guilty or deserving blame.
Synonyms
blame, responsibility, guilt, fault
Antonyms
innocence, blamelessness
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Blaming Goalkeeper for Defeat
A team blames an isolated goalkeeper for a collective defeat, singling them out while the team stands away.
The act of pinning a collective defeat on one player highlights the concept of culpability. By attempting to assign blame and responsibility for a wrong to an isolated individual, the team makes their perceived guilt the central focus of the scene.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Culpability" mean?
Culpability is noun meaning: Responsibility for a fault or wrong.. Responsibility for a fault or wrong; the state of being morally responsible for something blameworthy — the quality of being guilty or deserving blame.
Where does the word "Culpability" come from?
From Latin culpabilis (blameworthy), from culpa (fault, blame). The root of mea culpa — my fault. In law, culpability is the degree of moral blameworthiness attached to conduct.