accountability

American  

[uh-koun-tuh-bil-i-tee] / əˌkaʊn təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

accountabilities plural

1. the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.

2. Education. a policy of holding schools and teachers accountable for students' academic progress by linking such progress with funding for salaries, maintenance, etc.

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Usage

What does accountability mean? Accountability is the obligation to explain, justify, and take responsibility for one's actions. Accountability is the state of being accountable, meaning responsible for something or obligated to answer to someone, such as a person with more authority, like a boss. The word accountability is often used in the context of individuals, especially in the term personal accountability. It is also commonly used in the context of institutions or people that are responsible to the public, such as the government, its agencies, politicians, and the media. Accountability is often discussed with transparency and consequences. This typically involves keeping people and organizations accountable by making their actions visible and having consequences when those actions are not acceptable. Example: The system of checks and balances is intended to ensure accountability among the different branches of government.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonaccountability
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accountabilities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of accountability

First recorded in 1785–95; account(able) + -ability

Explanation

If you take responsibility for your own actions, you show accountability. Stepping up and admitting it when you break something shows accountability. Accountability is a noun that describes accepting responsibility, and it can be personal or very public. A government has accountability for decisions and laws affecting its citizens; an individual has accountability for acts and behaviors. Sometimes, though, taking accountability means admitting you made a mistake. Punishment may result, but accountability shows ownership and a willingness to admit mistakes.

Example Sentences

During the Progressive Era, when party machine politics dominated, judicial elections were put forward as a reform to promote democratic accountability because they broke up concentrations of power and redistributed it to the people.

From Slate • Jul. 8, 2026

Freeholders say this overlooks the long-term oversight and legal accountability they provide, including maintaining buildings and acting as an independent party when disputes arise.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

They evaluated efforts across six distinct categories: risk assessment, current harms, safety frameworks, existential safety, governance and accountability, and information sharing.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

“The program leverages housing market forces, entrepreneurial innovation and private accountability to increase housing supply,” former HUD Secretary Ben Carson told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2025.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026

This trend began in the 1990s with an educational reform movement that stressed teacher accountability.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• liability