In the USA, people often use special phrases to talk about blame. These phrases are called idioms. They make everyday talking more fun and easy to understand. Instead of saying something directly, people use these expressions to explain who is responsible for something that went wrong. Kids, adults, and even teachers use them all the time.
If you’ve ever been blamed for something, you might have heard someone say, “Don’t throw me under the bus!” That’s just one example. In this article, you will learn some idioms about blame. These idioms will help you talk in a fun way, just like many Americans do every day. Let’s explore some of them and see how they’re used.
Idioms About Blame
1. Point the finger
Meaning: To blame someone for something
Example Sentence:
• The coach pointed the finger at the goalie for the loss.
• She always points the finger when things go wrong.
Other ways to say: Blame someone, accuse
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the act of literally pointing your finger at someone during an argument.
Usage: Used when blaming others for a mistake.
2. Throw under the bus
Meaning: To betray someone to save yourself
Example Sentence:
• He threw his friend under the bus to avoid punishment.
• She threw her co-worker under the bus during the meeting.
Other ways to say: Betray, let someone take the fall
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase became popular in the 1980s and is often used in politics and work settings.
Usage: Used when someone blames another to protect themselves.
3. Pass the buck
Meaning: To avoid responsibility and blame someone else
Example Sentence:
• Don’t pass the buck—take responsibility.
• He always passes the buck when there’s a problem.
Other ways to say: Shift blame, avoid blame
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from old poker games where a marker called a “buck” was passed to show whose turn it was.
Usage: Common in workplaces or group projects.
4. Take the fall
Meaning: To accept blame, sometimes for someone else’s mistake
Example Sentence:
• He took the fall even though it wasn’t his fault.
• She took the fall to protect her team.
Other ways to say: Take the blame, cover for someone
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s often used in crime shows or sports.
Usage: Used when someone accepts punishment for a group.
5. Lay the blame
Meaning: To say someone else is at fault
Example Sentence:
• He laid the blame on his brother.
• They laid the blame on the new kid.
Other ways to say: Accuse, blame
Fun Fact/Origin: “Lay” means to place, and here it means placing guilt on someone.
Usage: Used when assigning fault to another person.
6. Put the blame on
Meaning: To say someone is responsible for a problem
Example Sentence:
• They put the blame on the teacher for the bad grades.
• He put the blame on his dog for the mess.
Other ways to say: Blame, fault someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in schools and family situations
Usage: Used when someone is accused of causing trouble.
7. Finger-pointing
Meaning: When people blame each other instead of solving a problem
Example Sentence:
• The meeting turned into finger-pointing instead of teamwork.
• There was a lot of finger-pointing after the accident.
Other ways to say: Blame game, shifting blame
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in news and sports talk
Usage: Used when people argue over who is at fault.
8. Carry the can
Meaning: To take the blame, often unfairly
Example Sentence:
• She carried the can even though she didn’t do it.
• He always ends up carrying the can for his team.
Other ways to say: Take the blame, get blamed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from British slang, but used in the US too
Usage: Used when someone is unfairly blamed.
9. At fault
Meaning: Responsible for a problem
Example Sentence:
• The referee said the player was at fault.
• She was clearly at fault for breaking the window.
Other ways to say: Guilty, to blame
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in sports and legal talk
Usage: Used when talking about who caused a mistake.
10. Blame game
Meaning: When people keep blaming each other
Example Sentence:
• After the project failed, the blame game started.
• The kids got into a blame game over the broken lamp.
Other ways to say: Finger-pointing, shifting blame
Fun Fact/Origin: Became popular in news headlines
Usage: Used when no one wants to take responsibility.
11. Put someone in the hot seat
Meaning: To make someone face tough questions or blame
Example Sentence:
• The coach was put in the hot seat after the loss.
• She was in the hot seat at dinner when her grades came up.
Other ways to say: Question closely, put pressure on
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of being uncomfortable under pressure
Usage: Used when someone has to explain or defend themselves.
12. Cast blame
Meaning: To say someone else caused a problem
Example Sentence:
• He cast blame without knowing the full story.
• Don’t cast blame before finding out the truth.
Other ways to say: Accuse, fault
Fun Fact/Origin: “Cast” means to throw—here it means throwing blame
Usage: Used when someone quickly blames others.
13. Shift the blame
Meaning: To try to make someone else look responsible
Example Sentence:
• She tried to shift the blame to her little brother.
• He always shifts the blame to someone else.
Other ways to say: Pass the buck, point fingers
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in workplace problems and politics
Usage: Used when someone avoids taking the blame.
14. Take the heat
Meaning: To accept criticism or blame
Example Sentence:
• The boss took the heat after the failed product launch.
• I’ll take the heat for the mistake—don’t worry.
Other ways to say: Face the blame, take the fall
Fun Fact/Origin: “Heat” means pressure or trouble here
Usage: Used when someone accepts blame or trouble.
15. Own up
Meaning: To admit you did something wrong
Example Sentence:
• He owned up to breaking the vase.
• She owned up and said it was her fault.
Other ways to say: Confess, admit
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in family or school settings
Usage: Used when someone tells the truth about their mistake.
16. Take responsibility
Meaning: To accept that something was your fault
Example Sentence:
• She took responsibility for the missed homework.
• The mayor took responsibility for the mistake.
Other ways to say: Admit fault, own up
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in news and leadership talks
Usage: Used when someone admits blame and promises to do better.
17. Put someone on blast
Meaning: To call someone out in public for doing something wrong
Example Sentence:
• She put him on blast for not helping with the project.
• He got put on blast on social media.
Other ways to say: Call out, expose
Fun Fact/Origin: Started in hip-hop culture and spread online
Usage: Used when someone is publicly blamed or shamed.
18. Hold accountable
Meaning: To make someone answer for what they did
Example Sentence:
• The teacher held the students accountable for cheating.
• He was held accountable for his bad choices.
Other ways to say: Blame, make responsible
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in schools and courtrooms
Usage: Used when someone must face the results of their actions.
19. Come clean
Meaning: To tell the truth after hiding something
Example Sentence:
• She came clean about the broken window.
• He came clean and said he copied the homework.
Other ways to say: Admit, confess
Fun Fact/Origin: “Clean” means honest in this case
Usage: Used when someone finally tells the truth.
20. Take the blame
Meaning: To say that something bad was your fault
Example Sentence:
• He took the blame for the group’s mistake.
• She took the blame even though she didn’t do it.
Other ways to say: Own up, accept fault
Fun Fact/Origin: Very common in school and family talk
Usage: Used when someone says they are guilty.
21. Put it on me
Meaning: To say you’re responsible
Example Sentence:
• I’ll take care of it—put it on me.
• If we get in trouble, just put it on me.
Other ways to say: Blame me, I’ll take it
Fun Fact/Origin: Sounds casual and is often used in friendly talk
Usage: Used when someone offers to take the blame.
22. Guilty as charged
Meaning: Saying you are definitely guilty
Example Sentence:
• Yes, I ate the last cookie—guilty as charged.
• He smiled and said, “Guilty as charged.”
Other ways to say: I did it, I’m guilty
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from court language in the US
Usage: Often used in a funny or casual way.
23. Take it on the chin
Meaning: To accept blame or punishment without complaining
Example Sentence:
• He took it on the chin after missing the shot.
• She took it on the chin when the teacher blamed her.
Other ways to say: Accept blame, stay strong
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from boxing, where a chin hit is hard
Usage: Used when someone accepts blame without arguing.
24. Spill the beans
Meaning: To tell the truth or reveal a secret
Example Sentence:
• He spilled the beans about who really broke the toy.
• She finally spilled the beans and told everything.
Other ways to say: Tell the truth, admit it
Fun Fact/Origin: May come from voting with beans in ancient Greece
Usage: Used when someone reveals the truth, often in fun.
25. Hang someone out to dry
Meaning: To leave someone to take the blame alone
Example Sentence:
• The team hung him out to dry after the failed play.
• She felt hung out to dry by her friends.
Other ways to say: Abandon, let someone take the hit
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from laundry drying alone on a line
Usage: Used when someone is left to face trouble by themselves.
Quiz: Idioms About Blame
Instructions: Choose the best meaning for each idiom below. Each question has only one correct answer.
Question Key
1. What does “point the finger” mean?
a) To help someone in need
b) To blame someone for something
c) To wave at a friend
2. If someone “throws you under the bus,” what are they doing?
a) Helping you win a prize
b) Giving you a ride
c) Blaming you to save themselves
3. What does “pass the buck” mean?
a) Share your lunch money
b) Avoid blame by blaming someone else
c) Save money for later
4. If someone “takes the fall,” what are they doing?
a) Falling off a chair
b) Taking blame for something
c) Taking a vacation in autumn
5. What does it mean to “lay the blame”?
a) Put the blame on someone
b) Lay down and rest
c) Set a trap for someone
6. When someone is “in the hot seat,” what does that mean?
a) They are sunbathing
b) They are being blamed or questioned
c) They are eating spicy food
7. What does “come clean” mean?
a) To take a shower
b) To tell the truth after hiding something
c) To clean your room quickly
8. What does it mean to “take the heat”?
a) To enjoy summer weather
b) To cook food in the oven
c) To accept blame or pressure
9. If someone is “hung out to dry,” what happened?
a) They are wearing wet clothes
b) They are left alone to take the blame
c) They went outside on a windy day
10. What does “guilty as charged” mean?
a) You are innocent
b) You deny everything
c) You admit you are guilty
Answer Key
- b) To blame someone for something
- c) Blaming you to save themselves
- b) Avoid blame by blaming someone else
- b) Taking blame for something
- a) Put the blame on someone
- b) They are being blamed or questioned
- b) To tell the truth after hiding something
- c) To accept blame or pressure
- b) They are left alone to take the blame
- c) You admit you are guilty
Wrapping Up
Idioms about blame are often used in everyday American talk. They make hard ideas sound simple and quick. Whether you’re watching sports, hearing someone talk at school, or chatting with friends, you’ll notice these phrases pop up often. Learning them can help you better understand what people mean, especially when something goes wrong.
Blame can be shared, taken, or even tossed around. These idioms show us the many ways Americans talk about responsibility. Next time you hear someone say “take the fall” or “point the finger,” you’ll know exactly what they mean.
