1
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
hoping to avoid the onus of failure by lowering expectations ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blame
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
he perpetually tries to shift the onus for any mistakes onto other team members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onus
That ultimately puts the onus on the incoming rookie class to contribute from Day 1, something that Sullivan especially expects from players selected in the first three rounds.
—
Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Oh, yes, the onus is on us not to ruin the theatrical experience.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
The onus is us—the consumers of Big Tech’s products.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 6 Apr. 2026
In the wake of ensuing criticism of the look of piling on, Adebayo put the onus on Keefe.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onus
Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Oh, yes, the onus is on us not to ruin the theatrical experience.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
The onus is us—the consumers of Big Tech’s products.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 6 Apr. 2026
In the wake of ensuing criticism of the look of piling on, Adebayo put the onus on Keefe.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onus
Noun
-
The story follows an astronaut (Kirby) who is forced to make an impossible decision after an incident with her co-pilot (Pullman) leaves an indelible stain on the mission in the days leading up to lift off, setting off a tense race against the clock.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Regular washing prevents stains from setting into the mattress, eliminates odors, and maintains the protector's waterproof properties if applicable.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On Sunday, Juan Soto said the blame falls on the players — not on Mendoza or president of baseball operations David Stearns — after the Mets fell to 9-19, tied for the worst record in baseball.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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But the players should take their fair share of the blame, too.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More consumers are interested in healthy alternatives, and a stigma that once existed around sobriety is starting to vanish, Dave Williams, president of beverage alcohol industry consultants, Bump Williams, previously told USA TODAY.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The market — deliberately not referred to as a pantry to slash stigmas around emergency food — opened in February through a partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Family separations cause grief, confusion, attachment disruption and guilt for children, often leading to lifelong emotional and psychological suffering.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In September 2011, Rapo was sentenced to 4 ½ years in prison after previously pleading no contest — which cannot be used as evidence of guilt in a civil matter — to second-degree manslaughter.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a purity here, the course free from the taint of bureaucracy governing so much of the academy.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
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So long-reaching was the taint of that shame, Kentucky’s Bill Spivey died in Costa Rica, a practical exile after he not only was run out of the college game, he was banned from the NBA, too.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Spot Clean Stains For sweat stains, urine or spills, blot the area with a clean cloth and a mild cleaning solution.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The broad scenario is one in which Iran is, at best, a minor blot in the rearview mirror as America’s interests move elsewhere.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What a shame if our children’s children could not be inspired by the wonders of the night sky.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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For some past residents of the Godparent Home, the shame and fractured dreams remain.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Onus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onus. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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