Cool MateBlame vs Condemn
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Blame
Condemn
| Blame | Condemn | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/bleɪm/","/bleɪmz/","/bleɪmd/","/ˈbleɪmɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bleɪm/","/bleɪmz/","/bleɪmd/","/ˈbleɪmɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/kənˈdem/","/kənˈdemz/","/kənˈdemd/","/kənˈdemɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kənˈdem/","/kənˈdemz/","/kənˈdemd/","/kənˈdemɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To say someone is responsible for something bad. | to say that something is wrong or bad |
| Example | It's easy to blame others when things go wrong. | The court decided to condemn the defendant to ten years in prison. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | unfairly, unjustly, partly, can’t, don’t, can hardly, for, on, be to blame (for something), be widely blamed for something | roundly, strongly, vehemently, for, be widely condemned |
| Antonyms | praise, commend, exonerate | praise, commend, endorse |
| Common mistakes | 'Blame' can be used without an object, but it's clearer with one (e.g., 'She blames him')., Confused with 'accuse' - 'blaming' doesn’t always imply wrongdoing, while 'accusing' does., Some learners forget to use the preposition 'for' after 'blame' when stating the cause. | 'Condemn' is sometimes confused with 'commend', which means to praise., Learners might use 'condemn' with the wrong preposition, like saying 'condemn for' instead of 'condemn to'., Some may struggle with the spelling, often misspelling as 'condem'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'blame' when pointing to responsibility, often in a negative context. Avoid in overly formal situations; 'attribute' might be better there. | Used when expressing strong disapproval of actions, behaviors, or decisions. Appropriate in legal or moral contexts, but might seem too strong in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Blame vs Condemn
What's the difference between Blame and Condemn?
Blame: To say someone is responsible for something bad. Condemn: to say that something is wrong or bad
Which is more formal: Blame and Condemn?
Condemn is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Blame and Condemn?
Blame is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Blame and Condemn?
Condemn is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Blame and Condemn the same CEFR level?
Blame: B2, Condemn: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Blame and Condemn?
Blame: verb, Condemn: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Blame: It's easy to blame others when things go wrong. Condemn: The court decided to condemn the defendant to ten years in prison.
Can I use Blame and Condemn interchangeably?
Not always. Blame and Condemn are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.