責める|せめるsemeru[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto condemn; to blame; to criticize; to criticise; to reproach; to accuse
   あまり自分じぶんを責せめないで。↗

   Don't be too hard on yourself.
2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto urge; to press; to pester
3. ichidan verb, transitive verbto torture; to torment; to persecute
4. ichidan verb, transitive verbto break in (a horse)

• Synonym非難ひなんNeutralBlaming or condemning someone's faults, as in 「非難を浴びる」; typically the voice of public opinion in open, public settings.
• Synonym咎めるとがめるNeutralTo question someone over a fault; also for an uneasy conscience, as in 「良心が咎める」. Its focus is pointing out the fault.
• Synonym問責もんせきWrittenHolding someone responsible, mostly in politics, as in 「問責決議」; more formal than 「責める」.
• Synonym糾弾きゅうだんWrittenWritten word for exposing guilt and denouncing it; fierce in tone, mostly aimed at social wrongdoing.
• Synonym指弾しだんWrittenWritten word for publicly condemning and ostracizing someone, as in 「世間の指弾を受ける」.
• Synonym難じるなんじるWrittenWritten verb meaning to criticize or find fault; rarely used in modern Japanese.
• SynonymなじるNeutralRead なじる and written 「詰る」, it means to question or interrogate someone over a fault; written 「詰まる」 it usually means to be blocked or packed — keep the two apart.
• RelatedいじめるNeutralTo bully the weak, as in 「弱い者を苛める」; the emphasis is bullying, while 「責める」 is about holding someone to account for a fault.
• Related攻撃こうげきNeutralAn attack, including fierce verbal criticism; leans toward confrontation.
• Related告発こくはつNeutralExposing wrongdoing or reporting a crime to the investigative authorities, as in 「内部告発」; the point is disclosure, not blaming face to face.
• Related苦しめるくるしめるNeutralTo make someone suffer or struggle, as in 「病に苦しめられる」; no fault need be involved.
• Related弾劾だんがいFormalFormal: publicly pursuing charges of wrongdoing, officially of public officials, as in 「弾劾裁判」; far harsher than 「責める」.
• Related嫌がらせいやがらせNeutralDeliberate harassment meant to make someone feel bad; the aim is causing displeasure, not holding anyone to account.
• Related苛むさいなむWrittenWritten word: to torment or afflict, as in 「罪悪感に苛まれる」; often in the passive for inner anguish.
• Related責め苛むせめさいなむWrittenWritten word: to torment someone in every way; stresses repeated infliction of pain more than 「苛む」.
• RelatedいたぶるNeutralTo bully and torment, or to extort money and goods; carries malice, and appears in speech too.
• Related小突き回すこづきまわすCasualColloquial: shoving someone around, treating them roughly; you'll rarely come across it.
• RelatedいびるCasualColloquial: to pick on or mistreat someone, as in 「姑が嫁をいびる」; with a mean, underhanded edge.
• Related責め立てるせめたてるNeutralTo hammer someone with blame, allowing no rebuttal, as in 「失敗を責め立てる」; harsher than 「責める」.
• RelatedなぶるWrittenWritten word: to toy with or mock someone, as in 「弱者を嬲る」; carries contempt.
• Antonym褒めるほめるNeutralTo praise; the opposite of 「責める」 in its blaming sense.
• Antonym許すゆるすNeutralTo forgive or pardon; the opposite of 「責める」 in its sense of holding a fault to account.

Use 「責める」 to blame someone or press them over a fault. For public condemnation say 「非難」; for pointing out a fault, 「咎める」; for bullying the weak, 「苛める」; for inner anguish, 「苛まれる」. For formal or fierce censure of public and political wrongdoing, 「問責」「糾弾」「弾劾」 are the written and formal choices. The opposites are 「許す」 (forgive) and 「褒める」 (praise).

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

1. 質問しつもんや批判ひはんなどを浴あびせる。
2. 怠慢たいまん・過あやまちなどを取り上とりあげて非難ひなんする。
3. 厳きびしく催促さいそくする。
4. 肉体的にくたいてき・精神的せいしんてきに苦くるしめる。
5. 同様どうようのものを連続れんぞくして与あたえ辟易へきえきさせる。
6. 馬うまを乗り馴のりならす。