recriminate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very Low Frequency)Formal, Literary, Legal/Diplomatic
Quick answer
What does “recriminate” mean?
To accuse someone of wrongdoing in return when they have made an accusation against you.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To accuse someone of wrongdoing in return when they have made an accusation against you; to counter-accuse.
The act of responding to an accusation by making a counter-charge, often in a defensive or retaliatory manner within a dispute. This can extend to formal legal contexts or informal interpersonal conflicts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage frequency. Slightly more prevalent in British formal/legal writing, but rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Both carry connotations of defensiveness and a breakdown in constructive dialogue. In legal contexts, it may imply a formal counter-suit or charge.
Frequency
Extremely low in everyday speech in both regions. Most commonly encountered in historical texts, diplomatic reports, or advanced literary analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “recriminate” in a Sentence
[Subject] recriminates[Subject] recriminates against [Object][Subject] and [Subject] recriminate (with each other)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “recriminate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- After the leaked memo, ministers and civil servants began to recriminate publicly.
- It is futile to merely recriminate over past decisions; we must plan forward.
- The defendant chose not to answer the charges but to recriminate against his accuser.
American English
- Instead of fixing the problem, the team spent the meeting recriminating.
- The divorce proceedings grew ugly as both parties recriminated.
- He was quick to recriminate, listing every past failing of his colleague.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in post-mortem analyses of failed projects where departments blame each other: 'The meeting devolved into a session of mutual recrimination.'
Academic
Found in political science or history texts describing diplomatic failures: 'The peace talks stalled as both sides recriminated.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. A simpler phrase like 'they just blamed each other' is universal.
Technical
Used in legal discourse to describe a defendant's filing of a counterclaim or counter-charges against the plaintiff.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “recriminate”
- Using it transitively without 'against' (Incorrect: 'He recriminated her.' Correct: 'He recriminated against her.').
- Confusing it with 'incriminate' (to make someone appear guilty).
- Using it in informal contexts where it sounds jarringly formal.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Incriminate' means to make someone appear guilty of a crime. 'Recriminate' is a reciprocal action: to make a counter-accusation against someone who has accused you.
No, its meaning is inherently reactive. It requires a context where an initial accusation or blame has been made, which is then met with a counter-accusation.
Yes, significantly so. You will frequently encounter 'cycle of recrimination' or 'bitter recriminations'. The verb is very rare in modern usage.
Primarily in formal writing: historical analysis, political commentary, legal documents (referring to countercharges), and literary criticism. It is almost absent from spoken English.
To accuse someone of wrongdoing in return when they have made an accusation against you.
Recriminate is usually formal, literary, legal/diplomatic in register.
Recriminate: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈkrɪm.ɪ.neɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈkrɪm.ə.neɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A war of recriminations”
- “A cycle of recrimination”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE-CRIME-inate. You're accused of a 'crime', so you RE-turn by accusing them of one IN turn (inate).
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR (exchanging accusations is like exchanging blows); BLAME IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT (thrown back and forth).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate definition of 'recriminate'?