咎める|とがめるtogameru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto blame; to reproach; to censure; to rebuke; to reprove; to find fault; to take to task; to criticize; to criticise
   先生せんせいは彼女かのじょが間違まちがったことを咎とがめた。↗

   The teacher blamed her for the mistake.
2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto question (a suspect); to challenge
   守衛しゅえいにとがめられた。↗

   I was challenged by a gatekeeper.
3. ichidan verb, transitive verbto aggravate (an injury); to be aggravated; to get inflamed
4. ichidan verb, intransitive verbto prick (one's conscience)

• Synonym非難ひなんNeutralA noun for condemnation, as in 「非難を浴びる」. It centres on denouncing, while 「咎める」 probes a fault and can also express a guilty conscience.
• Synonym責めるせめるNeutralThe most general word for blaming, as in 「自分を責める」. It stresses pinning fault on a person, and for everyday blame it is the usual choice.
• Synonym問責もんせきNeutralA noun for holding someone responsible, as in 「問責決議」. Mostly a parliamentary term, not for everyday blame.
• Synonym糾弾きゅうだんNeutralA noun for denouncing, as in 「不正を糾弾する」. It stresses pursuing wrongdoing publicly and severely, a stronger stance than 「咎める」.
• Synonym批判ひはんNeutralA noun for criticism, as in 「政策を批判する」. It stresses judging what is right or wrong, often as a reasoned assessment.
• SynonymなじるNeutralAs 「詰る」, read najiru: to question and rebuke someone, as in 「相手を詰る」. Its tone is sharp and caustic, harsher than 「咎める」.
• Synonym指弾しだんWrittenA noun for blame or censure, as in 「世間の指弾を受ける」. It leans toward written prose.
• Synonym咎め立てとがめだてNeutralA noun for fault-finding, nitpicking blame, as in 「とがめ立てする」. Colloquial, and it implies blaming harder than necessary.
• Related弾劾だんがいNeutralA noun for impeachment, as in 「弾劾裁判」. Used mainly for judges and officials facing formal charges.
• Related誹議ひぎWrittenA rare written word for censure. In most situations say 「非難」 instead.
• Relatedこき下ろすこきおろすCasualTo trash something as worthless, as in 「作品をこき下ろす」. Colloquial and rough in tone, it tears into its target rather than probing a fault.
• Related難詰なんきつWrittenA noun for sternly reprimanding someone by listing their faults, as in 「部下を難詰する」. Belongs to written or formal prose.
• RelatedそしるWrittenTo slander or mock someone, speaking ill of them unjustly, as in 「人を謗る」. A written-style verb.
• Related論難ろんなんWrittenA noun for censuring by argument, as in 「論難を加える」. Written-style, used mainly in debates and controversies.
• Antonym褒めるほめるNeutralThe antonym: to praise, as in 「子供を褒める」. Where 「咎める」 dwells on faults, this speaks of merits.

Use 「咎める」 for holding someone to a fault or for a guilty conscience, as in 「失敗を咎める」 and 「気が咎める」. For general blame say 「責める」, for condemnation 「非難」, and for parliamentary accountability 「問責」. The opposite is 「褒める」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 過あやまち・欠点けってんなどを取り上とりあげて責せめる。
2. 怪あやしく思おもい尋たずねる。
3. 罪つみの意識いしきなどを感かんじ気きが進すすまない。やましく思おもう。
4. 相手あいての緩かん手しゅや悪手あくしゅを見逃みのがさず攻せめる。
5. 傷きずや腫物しゅもつをいじり却かえって悪わるくする。
6. 気きにかける。心こころにとめる。