answerable

[an-ser-uh-buhl, ahn-]

adjective

1. liable to be asked to give account; responsible.

   He is answerable to a committee for all his decisions.

2. capable of being answered.

   a question answerable by mail.

3. proportionate; correlative (usually followed byto ).

4. corresponding; suitable (usually followed byto ).

   The amount is not answerable to my needs.

answerable

/ ˈɑːnsərəbəl /

adjective

1. (postpositive; foll by for or to) responsible or accountable

   answerable for someone's safety

   answerable to one's boss

2. able to be answered

Other Word Forms

• answerability noun
• answerableness noun
• answerably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of answerable¹

First recorded in 1540–50; answer + -able

Example Sentences

"It's like a shadow army within the army which is only answerable to the president and his son. Its rise and influence is causing resentment among senior generals," one military source told the BBC.

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It also meant that Buckingham Palace stopped being answerable for his behaviour.

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The commissioner would be in charge of ensuring standards of care for victims and would answerable to parliament.

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Breyer left no stone unturned in detailing the president’s lawless deployment of troops and his plan to turn the military into a national police force answerable only to him.

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So, at Alpine, for example, he would ultimately be answerable to Renault's board.

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Related Words

• accountable 
• amenable 
• liable 
• obligated 
• obliged