establish blame

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "establish blame" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are discussing the act of assigning responsibility for a fault or wrongdoing. Example: "In the investigation, the committee aimed to establish blame for the financial discrepancies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The DSB report did not aim to establish blame for the MH17 disaster, which is being examined in a separate criminal investigation by the Dutch prosecutor.

Independent

And while Joseph Leake, chief of the housing police, said, "We are not trying to establish blame, it was an incident that happened, period," the death left the Gowanus Houses in turmoil.

The New York Times

If we can establish blame, we can establish cause.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A study conducted in Abuja, Nigeria by Owolabi and colleagues [ 33] established blame, insults, social isolation, spread of information, rejection, dismissal from working place, isolation from other patients and denial of access to health care as some of the forms of stigmatization and discrimination being suffered by PLWHA.

BMC Public Health

"The State Department had been reluctant to approve compensation in any way that involved establishing blame or proving negligence," he explained.

The New York Times

Lawmakers must turn the current medical malpractice system on its head, by establishing "blame free" error-reporting systems.

Forbes

There is a personal and institutionalised acceptance of bigotry toward oneself for whatever that complex reason may be and then there is a need to change society, which is more about accepting what we have done wrong, establishing no blame and working towards ways for individual and social change; that's not an anti-stigma campaign, it's an anti-bigotry one.

The Guardian

In the interests of greater transparency, what will the Commission do to shed full light on the facts and hence establish where the blame lies for this financial/revenue loss?

European Parliament

Nasser's detractors criticize his authoritarianism, his government's human rights violations, his populist relationship with the citizenry, and his failure to establish civil institutions, blaming his legacy for future dictatorial governance in Egypt.

Wikipedia

The effect is unsettling; it underscores not only the horror and absurdity of what happened early on, but how little the legal system can do to establish facts or assign blame, much less set things right.

The New York Times - Books

Observers were trying to establish who was to blame.See article: A grim winter in KosovoIn the first round of parliamentary elections in Macedonia, which broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991, the right-wing opposition got the biggest share of seats.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "establish blame", ensure that you have concrete evidence and a clear process for determining responsibility. Avoid making unsubstantiated accusations.

Common error

Avoid using "establish blame" prematurely without a thorough investigation. Ensure that all facts are considered before assigning responsibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "establish blame" functions as a verb phrase where 'establish' is the transitive verb and 'blame' is the direct object. It describes the action of determining and assigning responsibility for wrongdoing. Ludwig confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "establish blame" is a verb phrase used to describe the act of determining and assigning responsibility for a wrongdoing. While grammatically correct and usable, as confirmed by Ludwig, it is relatively rare in usage. The phrase appears mostly in news and media, scientific, and formal and business contexts, indicating a neutral to professional register. When using this phrase, it's important to have clear evidence before assigning responsibility and to avoid jumping to conclusions. Alternatives such as "assign responsibility" or "determine culpability" might be suitable depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assign responsibility

This phrase is a more straightforward and common way to express the idea of making someone accountable.

establish accountability

This phrase focuses on the process of making someone answerable for their actions.

determine culpability

This alternative uses more formal legal terminology to convey a similar meaning of establishing responsibility.

attribute fault

This is a more formal way of saying to assign blame or responsibility.

ascertain liability

This is a more formal and legalistic term for determining who is legally responsible.

identify the responsible party

This option focuses on finding the specific person or group to hold accountable.

fix the blame

This is a more direct and decisive way of assigning responsibility.

pinpoint fault

This alternative suggests a more precise and direct assignment of blame.

place the onus

This option implies putting the burden of blame or responsibility on someone.

find the cause

While not directly assigning blame, this implies finding the reason for the problem and, indirectly, the person at fault.

FAQs

How can I use "establish blame" in a sentence?

You can use "establish blame" to describe the process of determining who is responsible for a mistake or wrongdoing. For example, "The investigation aimed to establish blame for the accident".

What's the difference between "establish blame" and "assign responsibility"?

"Establish blame" implies a more formal or investigative process to determine fault, while "assign responsibility" can be a more general term for making someone accountable.

What can I say instead of "establish blame"?

You can use alternatives like "determine culpability", "pinpoint fault", or "ascertain liability" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to "establish blame" after an incident?

Not always. In some situations, focusing on solutions and preventing future incidents may be more productive than solely focusing on establishing blame. However, in cases of legal or ethical violations, it's important to "establish blame" to ensure accountability.