buck passer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal
Quick answer
What does “buck passer” mean?
A person who habitually shifts blame, responsibility, or a problem onto someone else.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who habitually shifts blame, responsibility, or a problem onto someone else.
Someone who avoids accountability, especially in an organizational or bureaucratic context, often by directing questions or decisions to another department or person.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American English but fully understood and used in British English.
Connotations
Consistently negative, implying cowardice, laziness, or dishonesty.
Frequency
Overall low frequency; 'pass the buck' (verb phrase) is far more common.
Grammar
How to Use “buck passer” in a Sentence
He is a [buck-passer].She accused him of being a [buck-passer].The [buck-passer] pointed his finger at marketing.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “buck passer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He's always trying to pass the buck to his junior colleagues.
American English
- Don't try to pass the buck on this one; the memo clearly shows it was your call.
adjective
British English
- He has a classic buck-passing mentality.
American English
- The project failed due to buck-passing behaviour at the executive level.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise managers or departments that avoid making difficult decisions.
Academic
Rare, but may appear in political science or organisational behaviour texts.
Everyday
Used in complaints about bureaucracy, customer service, or personal responsibility.
Technical
Not a technical term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “buck passer”
- Incorrect hyphenation: 'buckpasser' or 'buck passer' (as two separate words when used as a noun). Correct: 'buck-passer'.
- Using it as a verb: 'He buck-passed the issue.' (Non-standard. Use 'passed the buck.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It originates from poker, where a 'buck' (a marker, often a knife with a buckhorn handle) was placed in front of the player whose turn it was to deal. To 'pass the buck' meant to pass the responsibility of dealing to the next player. President Harry S. Truman popularized the phrase 'The buck stops here.'
No, it is informal and somewhat idiomatic. In formal writing, alternatives like 'someone who shirks responsibility' or 'an evader of accountability' might be preferred.
No. The verb form is the phrase 'to pass the buck.' One does not 'buck-pass'; one 'passes the buck.'
No. The act of delegating can be positive, but 'buck-passer' specifically implies evading *unwanted* responsibility or blame, which is always viewed negatively.
A person who habitually shifts blame, responsibility, or a problem onto someone else.
Buck passer: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbʌk ˈpɑː.sər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbʌk ˈpæs.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pass the buck”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'BUCK' (a dollar) being hot like a potato. A 'buck-passer' is someone who quickly passes this hot, unwanted responsibility to others.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESPONSIBILITY IS AN OBJECT (that can be passed). AVOIDING BLAME IS PASSING A BURDEN.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'buck-passer'?