What is it called when someone accuses you of what they do? It can be difficult to know what to call a person who does such a thing.
Happily, we’ve provided a list of potential comebacks for this situation. So, read on to learn some helpful words and catchy phrases!
Words for When Someone Accuses You of What They Do
- Hypocrite
- Gaslighter
- Blame-shifter
- Buck-passer
- Scapegoater
- Liar
- Finger pointer
- Pot calling the kettle black
- Stone thrower
- Blame thrower
- Imputer of guilt
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The best one-word synonym for a person who accuses you of something they do is a “hypocrite.”
- If a person tries to control and manipulate you with their accusations, they may be a “gaslighter.”
- “Blame-shifter” is another phrase to describe someone who points the finger at you even though they are actually guilty.
Keep reading! In the next section, we’ll use our favorite terms for a person who accuses you of something they do in some helpful example sentences.
Hypocrite
If you’re looking for one word to describe a person who accuses you of something they are guilty of, “hypocrite” is the best option.
Firstly, Merriam-Webster defines a “hypocrite” as “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” Therefore, when someone accuses you of something they are guilty of, it would be appropriate to call them a hypocrite.
After all, it would be contradictory to condemn you for something if they do it themselves.
Secondly, this phrase is highly confrontational, so you should be cautious about calling someone a “hypocrite” under any circumstances. However, if you are arguing with someone, this phrase will certainly give you the upper hand!
Finally, to see this phrase in action, let’s see a couple of example sentences:
If you don’t want to come across as a hypocrite, perhaps you shouldn’t preach to regular people about being environmentally friendly while you travel in a private jet.
Charles is a complete hypocrite – he constantly condemns people for not working hard enough, yet he was born rich and has been handed everything he has on a silver platter.
Gaslighter
Another word for someone who accuses you of something they do is a “gaslighter.”
According to Merriam-Webster, a “gaslighter” is defined as “a person who psychologically manipulates another by means of gaslighting.” Moreover, “gaslighting” is defined as “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s own advantage.”
Therefore, a person may be gaslighting you if they are controlling and trying to convince you that you are doing something wrong even though they are.
For example, they may accuse you of being dramatic or overreacting when, actually, their behavior is inappropriate and your response perfectly reasonable.
Lastly, let’s see a couple of example sentences making use of this term:
I recently escaped a toxic relationship with a gaslighter.
If he keeps accusing you of cheating, even though he is the only one who has ever cheated in the past, he’s a gaslighter.
Blame-shifter
Another example of how to describe someone who accuses you of something they do is to call them a “blame-shifter.”
“Blame-shifting” is a word for accusing someone of what you do. This is also called “projecting.” Essentially, it means that a person evades responsibility by making another person feel guilty.
The other person may have done nothing wrong, but they are convinced they are responsible nevertheless.
For example, a “blame-shifter” may try to manipulate you by playing the victim. They’ll do this even though they are the real aggressor.
Finally, to see this phrase in action, consider the example sentences below:
If there’s one thing I know about Charles, it’s that he’s a blame-shifter, and he’ll always find a way to make everything your fault.
If you’re going to be a blame-shifter the whole time, there’s really no point in trying to resolve things with you.