verb
recriminate
rih-KRIM-uh-nayt/rɪkrˌɪmɪnˈeɪt/
Respond to an accusation by accusing in return.
The coworkers recriminate, each blaming the other for unfinished tasks.
Etymology
Here re- turns accusing into accusing back: the response to a charge is another charge against the accuser. The word describes retaliation through accusation rather than a direct defense.
More examples
- Accused of missing the deadline, she recriminated by blaming her manager.
- They keep recriminating, each blaming the other for the failed project.
- When I criticized his spending, he began to recriminate about mine.
Forms
recriminate · recriminates · recriminated · recriminating
recrimination noun — An accusation made against an accuser.
recriminatory adjective — Expressing accusations in response to blame.
Similar words
- counteraccuse
- More directly names the same act of accusing an accuser.
- retaliate
- Means responding with harm, not necessarily with another accusation.