whom to blame

USAGE SUMMARY

'whom to blame' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to ask the question 'Who should be blamed for this?' For example: The accident happened - whom to blame?.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And whom to blame?

The New York Times

The angry artist knew whom to blame.

The New Yorker

He knew whom to blame.

The Washington Post

She wondered whom to blame.

The Guardian

Apparently, he's already decided whom to blame.

The Washington Post

How would Johnson know whom to blame?

The New York Times - Sports

Reasonable people may disagree about whom to blame.

The Economist

In movies European artists know whom to blame.

The New York Times

Still others, not knowing whom to blame, explode.

The New York Times - Magazine

If they fail, everyone will know whom to blame.

The New Yorker

It's an electionFeb 14th 2008Dr Mahathir has no doubt about whom to blame.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "whom to blame", ensure the context clearly indicates a search for responsibility or accountability, not simply understanding the cause of an event. For example, use it when investigating negligence or assigning fault.

Common error

A common mistake is using "who" instead of "whom" in the phrase. Remember, "whom" is the objective case. If you can replace it with "him" or "her", use "whom". For example, "Whom did they blame?" is correct because you could say, "They blamed him."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whom to blame" functions as an interrogative infinitive phrase, seeking to identify the individual or entity responsible for a particular situation or outcome. It is used to frame a question about accountability, as shown by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "whom to blame" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that serves to identify the responsible party for a given situation. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in formal contexts, particularly in news and media. While alternatives like "who is responsible" or "who is at fault" exist, "whom to blame" maintains a degree of formality. When employing this phrase, ensure correct grammatical usage, particularly distinguishing between "who" and "whom". The phrase sees frequent usage in news and journalistic context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

who is responsible

A direct and common way of asking about accountability.

whose fault is it

A more direct and potentially accusatory way of assigning blame.

who is at fault

Focuses on identifying the individual or entity responsible for a mistake or wrongdoing.

who bears the responsibility

Emphasizes the concept of accountability for an action or outcome.

who is to be held accountable

Highlights the need for someone to answer for their actions.

who is culpable

Highlights legal or moral blameworthiness.

who should be held liable

Focuses on legal or financial responsibility.

who carries the can

An idiomatic expression for taking the blame or responsibility.

who takes the fall

Suggests someone is unfairly accepting blame for others.

where does the buck stop

Questions ultimate accountability within an organization or system.

FAQs

How do I use "whom to blame" in a sentence?

Use "whom to blame" when you're seeking to identify the responsible party in a given situation. For example: "After the financial crisis, everyone was trying to figure out "who is to blame"".

Is it ever acceptable to use "who to blame" instead of "whom to blame"?

While grammatically "whom to blame" is correct, in very informal contexts, "who to blame" might be used, but it's generally better to maintain the formal "whom" in writing and speech. However, is important to highlight that from a grammatically point of view, "who to blame" is incorrect.

What phrases are similar in meaning to "whom to blame"?

Similar phrases include "who is responsible", "who is at fault", or "who bears the responsibility". These alternatives all seek to assign accountability for an action or event.

In what kind of situations is "whom to blame" typically used?

"Whom to blame" is often used in situations where something negative has occurred, and there's a need to identify the responsible party. This can be in the context of a crime, a mistake, a disaster, or any other event where accountability is sought.