Definitions

culpable

[kuhl-puh-buhl] / ˈkʌl pə bəl /

ADJECTIVE

responsible for action

Synonyms

STRONGEST

guilty impeachable liable reprehensible responsible

WEAK

amiss answerable at fault blamable blameful blameworthy caught caught in the act caught red-handed censurable demeritorious dirty found wanting hung up in the wrong indictable off base out of line punishable sinful smoking gun to blame unholy wrong

Antonyms

STRONGEST

immune irresponsible

WEAK

blameless inculpable innocent not guilty right

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iskander, on the witness stand on Tuesday, echoed her attorney Brian Panish, who promised to show the pitcher and his then-girlfriend were both culpable because they were racing on the residential street.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

After all, hadn’t he been sure that the four boys falsely accused of the crime—two of whom served more than nine years in prison for it—had been culpable, too?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

If found culpable, he could be suspended from the practice of law or disbarred in D.C.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

But much more money would be needed for real remediation, and other companies are likely to be culpable too, experts said.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

How can they be morally culpable for it?

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Vocabulary lists containing culpable

100 SAT words Beginning with "C"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Feeling Sorry?

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!