responsibility

American  

[ri-spon-suh-bil-i-tee] / rɪˌspɒn səˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

responsibilities

1. the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management.

   Synonyms:

   accountability, answerability

2. an instance of being responsible.

   The responsibility for this mess is yours!

3. a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible.

   the responsibilities of authority.

4. a person or thing for which one is responsible.

   A child is a responsibility to their parents.

5. reliability or dependability, especially in meeting debts or payments.

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idioms

1. on one's own responsibility, on one's own initiative or authority.

   He changed the order on his own responsibility.

responsibility British  

/ rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or position of being responsible

2. a person or thing for which one is responsible

3. the ability or authority to act or decide on one's own, without supervision

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Other Word Forms

• nonresponsibility noun
• preresponsibility noun
• self-responsibility noun
• superresponsibility noun

Etymology

Origin of responsibility

First recorded in 1780–90; respons(ible) + -ibility

Example Sentences

This can include caregivers or parents, who are better able to balance their work and caregiving responsibilities.

From MarketWatch

The IRS places the onus of responsibility on the taxpayer, and they are the ones who have to make sure this task gets done every year once they reach the age when RMDs are required.

From MarketWatch

"He was not just a military leader, but also a symbol who shouldered the responsibility of unifying the institution of the military, and who worked towards a national reconciliation," he told AFP.

From Barron's

“The jury sets a very high bar on the defendant because it understands that it will release him from legal responsibility.”

From Los Angeles Times

“We felt like we had every right to do that because the constitution invested the legislature with defining the responsibilities” of the governor, Lewis said.

From Salon

Related Words

• authority
• burden
• duty
• guilt
• importance
• liability
• obligation
• power
• restraint
• trust