adjective

culpable

/ˈkʌlpəbəl/ · say it: KUL·puh·bul

deserving blame; legally responsible for wrongdoing

In Law & Justice

In more detail

1. (adjective) deserving blame or responsibility for something bad that has happened

2. (adjective) guilty of wrongdoing or a crime

Examples

1. The company was found culpable for the environmental damage caused by the factory.
2. He was culpable in the theft and faced criminal charges.

How to use culpable

Culpable is a formal term used in legal, ethical, and serious contexts to mean deserving blame or guilt. It emphasizes that someone bears responsibility for wrongdoing and is typically used when assigning fault in accidents, crimes, or professional failures. It is stronger and more judgmental than merely 'responsible' and differs from 'guilty' by not requiring a legal conviction.

Common phrases

culpable homicide
culpable negligence
culpable conduct
hold someone culpable
deemed culpable

Synonyms

blameworthy · guilty · responsible · liable · at fault

Opposites

innocent · blameless · guiltless

Word family

culpability (noun) · culpably (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse culpable with culprit (a person who has committed a crime); culpable is an adjective describing blameworthiness, not a noun for the wrongdoer.

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