passing the buck

USAGE SUMMARY

"passing the buck" is a perfectly valid expression in written English.
It is usually used to refer to someone attempting to pass the blame or responsibility of a problem onto somebody else. For example, "The mayor has been passing the buck ever since the town was hit with a financial crisis."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

That's passing the buck".

The New York Times

Of passing the buck.

The Guardian

It's passing the buck.

The New York Times

The shrinks are just passing the buck".

The New Yorker

Another term could be "passing the buck".

The Guardian

He's interested in passing the buck".

The New York Times

Member states should not be passing the buck.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

To pass the buck.

The New Yorker

"They pass the buck".

The New York Times

You should not pass the buck.

The New York Times

PM You can't pass the buck.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "passing the buck" when you want to emphasize the avoidance of responsibility and the attempt to shift it to someone else, often in a situation where accountability is expected.

Common error

Avoid using "passing the buck" when the situation involves genuine delegation of tasks due to workload or expertise, rather than an attempt to evade accountability. Ensure the context clearly indicates an unwillingness to take responsibility.

Linguistic Context

The idiomatic phrase "passing the buck" functions as a verb phrase. It describes an action—the act of avoiding responsibility by transferring it to someone else. Ludwig confirms its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The idiom "passing the buck" describes the act of avoiding responsibility by shifting it to someone else. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and very common, appearing frequently in news and media, as well as in formal and business contexts. While its register is generally neutral to informal, the phrase is widely understood. When using "passing the buck", ensure that the context clearly indicates an evasion of responsibility, not a genuine delegation. Alternatives include "shifting the blame" and "evading responsibility". This idiom carries a negative connotation, implying a lack of accountability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shifting the blame

Focuses on attributing fault rather than evading responsibility.

evading responsibility

Highlights the act of dodging accountability.

ducking the issue

Emphasizes avoidance of a problem or question.

shirking duty

Implies a failure to fulfill one's obligations.

passing the hot potato

Uses a metaphor to describe transferring a difficult or risky task.

laying it on someone else

Informal way of saying someone is blaming another person.

passing responsibility on

A more literal way of saying someone is giving their responsibilities to someone else.

avoiding accountability

Stresses the lack of willingness to be held responsible.

deferring responsibility

Emphasizes the act of postponing or handing over duties.

attributing fault to

Directly focuses on assigning blame or fault to another party.

FAQs

How can I use "passing the buck" in a sentence?

You can use "passing the buck" to describe someone avoiding responsibility by giving it to someone else. For example, "The manager was accused of "shifting the blame" and "passing the buck" when the project failed".

What is another way to say "passing the buck"?

Alternatives to "passing the buck" include "evading responsibility", "shifting the blame", or "ducking the issue". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "passing the buck" formal or informal?

"Passing the buck" is generally considered an informal idiom suitable for everyday conversation and news articles. While understandable in formal contexts, more direct language might be preferred in professional settings.

What's the difference between "delegating" and "passing the buck"?

"Delegating" involves assigning tasks appropriately for efficiency, while "passing the buck" implies avoiding responsibility by inappropriately shifting blame or duties to someone else. "Delegating" is about sharing work; "passing the buck" is about avoiding blame.