French word

culpabiliser

Pronunciation

IPA/kylpabilize/

Meaning

  • verbguilt-trip ___

Example

Il essaie de culpabiliser sa fille.

He is trying to guilt-trip his daughter.

Illustration for culpabiliser (guilt-trip ___)

More examples

Ne le fais pas pour culpabiliser les autres.

Don't do it to make others feel guilty.

Core concept

A speaker places the weight of blame on someone until that person feels personally responsible for a fault.

Common phrases

  • culpabiliser quelqu'un

    make someone feel guilty

  • culpabiliser un enfant

    make a child feel guilty

  • culpabiliser son partenaire

    make one's partner feel guilty

Similar words

faire sentir coupable: To make someone feel that they are at fault through words or behavior.
reprocher: To blame someone for an action and express dissatisfaction.
accuser: To directly accuse someone of a crime or wrongdoing.
faire honte: To make someone feel ashamed by pointing out an act or situation.

Definition in French

Faire éprouver à quelqu'un un sentiment de culpabilité, par des paroles, un comportement ou une mise en cause de sa responsabilité.

Word origin

French built culpabiliser from culpable with the productive suffix -iser, which commonly forms verbs meaning to make or cause a state.

Usage tips

  • Culpabiliser quelqu'un de quelque chose or de faire quelque chose introduces the matter presented as that person's fault.

Opposites

Related words

  • culpabilitéguiltnoun
  • culpabilisémade to feel guiltyadjective

Word lists with this word