evade blame

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evade blame" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's attempt to avoid responsibility or accountability for a mistake or wrongdoing. Example: "In the meeting, he tried to evade blame for the project's failure by shifting the focus onto his team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Even as they evade blame — what was done was by accident, what was done was regretful, what was done was unfortunate — they feel riddled with guilt.

The New York Times - Books

The coalition might have hoped to evade blame for problems that arise from the financial climate, but after the ruinous row over these reforms, every dropped bedpan will inevitably reverberate back to Whitehall – whether that is desirable or not.

The Guardian - Opinion

Drug companies can jack their list prices up by more than 10percentt a year a rate far greater than inflation because they know that their price increases are mostly paid for in the form of higher budget deficits and by higher insurance premiums, allowing the industry to evade blame in the eyes of many patients.

Forbes

Song generals were largely autonomous, allowing Shi to evade blame for their military blunders.

Wikipedia

The "bleeping" has been a bipartisan affair -- neither Carter, Reagan, Clinton nor either Bush could credibly evade blame.

Huffington Post

Republicans know they can evade blame because most peoples' eyes glaze over the moment process talk like "filibuster" and "cloture" starts up.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Mr. Powell is reported as describing the Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat, as "lost" and intent on evading blame for any problems.

The New York Times

His employer questions him about this but he evades blame by asserting that it was an iron pipe and a fire cannot start by testing a leak in a pipe of this material.

The New Yorker

With very rare exceptions – in one of PD James's novels, Dalgliesh is forced to accept that the real villain has evaded blame – the crime is correctly and satisfyingly solved.

The Guardian - Books

After meeting with Ms. Ruan, General Chi said the People's Liberation Army would not let Washington evade its blame.

The New York Times

She was simply rebutting the defence-lawyer's line that crime was all society's fault, which had been recycled by so many criminals in an attempt to evade the blame for their misdeeds.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "evade blame", consider the context and ensure the subject is actively attempting to avoid responsibility. Use stronger verbs like 'shirk' or 'dodge' for more impact.

Common error

Don't use "evade blame" when the subject is simply denying involvement. "Evade blame" implies an attempt to avoid responsibility, while "deny blame" is a direct rejection of culpability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evade blame" functions as a verb phrase. It describes an action taken to avoid responsibility or accountability for something, as demonstrated in the Ludwig examples provided.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "evade blame" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, typically employed to describe attempts to avoid responsibility for mistakes or wrongdoings. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase accurately conveys the intention of escaping accountability. While not exceedingly common, it appears frequently in news and media, wiki and academic sources. Alternatives such as "shirk responsibility" and "dodge accountability" can offer nuanced variations in meaning. When writing, ensure that the subject is actively trying to avoid responsibility, differentiating it from simply denying involvement. In conclusion, "evade blame" is a reliable phrase for expressing the act of avoiding accountability, with several contextual alternatives available.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shirk responsibility

Focuses on neglecting or avoiding a duty or obligation.

dodge accountability

Emphasizes avoiding being held responsible for one's actions or decisions.

duck responsibility

Suggests a quick or evasive movement to avoid being burdened with responsibility.

sidestep the blame

Implies skillfully avoiding being assigned blame, often through clever maneuvering.

deflect criticism

Concentrates on redirecting negative feedback or censure away from oneself.

pass the buck

Colloquial expression for shifting responsibility to someone else.

cop out

Informal term for avoiding a responsibility or commitment, often due to fear or laziness.

get off scot-free

To escape punishment or blame entirely

wash your hands of

To absolve yourself from responsibility

weasel out of

To avoid doing something through deception or trickery

FAQs

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

You can use "evade blame" when describing someone's attempt to avoid responsibility for an action, such as "The politician tried to evade blame for the scandal by blaming his staff."

What's a more formal alternative to "evade blame"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "shirk responsibility" or "avoid accountability".

Is it correct to say "evade responsibility" instead of "evade blame"?

Yes, "evade responsibility" is a semantically similar and grammatically correct alternative to "evade blame". They are often interchangeable depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "evade blame" and "deflect criticism"?

"Evade blame" focuses on avoiding being held responsible, while "deflect criticism" emphasizes redirecting negative feedback away from oneself. The former is about accountability, the latter is about managing perceptions.