Culpable
/ˈkʌlpəbəl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Culpable describes someone who can be blamed for a bad action or mistake. It means the person did something wrong or failed to do something they should have done, making them responsible for a problem or harm.
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⚡ See It in Action
Being blameworthy for a mistake or bad action
- •The driver was found culpable for the accident.
- •She was culpable in the failure of the project because she did not follow instructions.
- •The court decided he was culpable for the theft.
Legally responsible for a crime or wrongdoing
- •The jury declared the defendant culpable of fraud.
- •If you are culpable, you might have to pay a fine or go to jail.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "culpable" like "guilty" (A2 word), but used more in formal or serious situations like law or rules.
- ✓Picture a person pointing a finger to show who made a mistake or caused trouble.
- ✓It's the feeling when you know someone should say "I'm sorry" because they did something wrong.
- ✓Sounds like "CULL-puh-bull" → imagine a bull that "culls" (chooses) who is responsible for a problem.
- ✓Think of stories where a character must face consequences because they are culpable for a bad event.
- ✓NOT like "innocent" (not responsible), culpable means having responsibility for something bad.
- ✓NOT like "accidental" (by chance), culpable means the person should have known better or did wrong on purpose.
- ✓NOT like "responsible" in a good way, culpable means responsible for a fault or crime.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Responsible: being the cause or answerable for something (Use when the responsibility is neutral or positive, not only for faults)
- •Blameworthy: deserving blame for a fault or mistake (Use when you want to stress fault or error clearly)
- •At fault: having done something wrong (Use in casual or legal contexts to show who caused a problem)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "culp-" (from Latin "culpa" meaning fault or blame) + suffix "-able" (able to be)
- •Etymology: From Latin "culpabilis," meaning "deserving blame"
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 15th century in legal and moral contexts to describe blame or fault
- •Modern usage: Common in law, formal writing, and situations discussing moral or legal responsibility
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How do you decide if someone is culpable when the situation is not clear?
•Can a person be culpable even if they did not mean to cause harm? Why or why not?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The manager was considered culpable because he ___ the safety rules that led to the accident.
2.When someone is culpable, they usually have to ___ for their actions in court or with others.
3.Unlike innocent people, culpable individuals are seen as ___ for the problem or mistake.
4.The lawyer explained that being culpable means you ___ blame or responsibility for something bad.
5.Sometimes, people are culpable because they did not ___ their duties properly.
6.If you are culpable of a crime, you might face ___ like fines or jail time.
7.Saying someone is culpable is more common in ___ or formal situations than in everyday talk.