responsible
Americanadjective
-
answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management (often followed by to orfor ).
He is responsible to the president for his decisions.
- Synonyms:
- liable
-
involving accountability or responsibility, as in having the power to control or manage.
promoted to a responsible position in the firm.
-
chargeable with being the author, cause, or occasion of something (usually followed byfor ).
Termites were responsible for the damage.
-
having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable; capable of rational thought or action.
The defendant is not responsible for his actions.
- Synonyms:
- competent
-
able to discharge obligations or pay debts.
- Synonyms:
- solvent
-
reliable or dependable, as in meeting debts, conducting business dealings, etc.
- Synonyms:
- trustworthy, reliable, capable, honest
-
(of a government, member of a government, government agency, or the like) answerable to or serving at the discretion of an elected legislature or the electorate.
adjective
-
having control or authority (over)
-
being accountable for one's actions and decisions (to)
to be responsible to one's commanding officer
-
(of a position, duty, etc) involving decision and accountability
-
(often foll by for) being the agent or cause (of some action)
to be responsible for a mistake
-
able to take rational decisions without supervision; accountable for one's own actions
a responsible adult
-
able to meet financial obligations; of sound credit
Other Word Forms
- interresponsible adjective
- nonresponsible adjective
- nonresponsibleness noun
- nonresponsibly adverb
- preresponsible adjective
- quasi-responsible adjective
- quasi-responsibly adverb
- responsibleness noun
- responsibly adverb
- superresponsible adjective
- superresponsibleness noun
- superresponsibly adverb
- unresponsible adjective
- unresponsibleness noun
- unresponsibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of responsible
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin respōns(us) ( see response ( def. )) + -ible ( def. )
Explanation
If you're the responsible one, everyone is depending on you to take care of it. And, if things go poorly, it's all your fault. Sounds like a drag to be responsible but really it is what we all want out of life. After all, when you're responsible, you get the keys to the car, you make your own decisions, and you get all the credit. Parents love the responsible babysitter who doesn't text with her friends and feed the kids bowls of ice cream. Of course, the boy who is responsible for bringing firecrackers to the football game will not be looked upon with the same level of respect. Responsibility can bring all the glory, but all the blame too.
Vocabulary lists containing responsible
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
NAEP Test Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"In astrophysics, we use simulations run on supercomputers to identify the physical mechanisms responsible for the features we observe in galaxies," explained co-author Dr. João A. S. Amarante, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2026
“As was said on air at the time, that information was not verified and came from Secret Service personnel inside of the ballroom. CNN immediately followed up when that reporting changed—that is responsible journalism.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Energy Ministry as an “evolution of sector policies to enhance flexibility in responding to market dynamics, while continuing to contribute to market stability in a thoughtful and responsible manner.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
A judge on Tuesday found he did commit the murder, but could not be held criminally responsible, ordering Summers-Smith to be held indefinitely in a mental health facility.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Duane felt personally responsible, so he crouched beside the hole and thrust one paw into the water.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
