English vocabulary · C1
Culpable
/ˈkʌl.pə.bəl/ · adj.
It means you deserve blame for something bad you caused.
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Example sentences
- The driver was found culpable.
- She was culpable and lost her job.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- culp — blame (from Latin)
- able — can be (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- GUILTY — judged to have done wrong (Legal & Emotional)
- LIABLE — legally responsible for harm (Legal & Financial)
- BLAMEWORTHY — deserving criticism or blame (Moral & Personal)
Words with the same root
culp — blame
- exculpate — to officially clear someone of blame
- culprit — a person responsible for a crime or fault
Lesson notes
Culpable. It means you deserve blame for something bad you caused.
Similar words are guilty, liable, blameworthy. Use culpable when you caused the harm.
The driver was found culpable. She was culpable and lost her job.
From Latin. Culp- means blame. Able- means can be. To be blamed — that is culpable.