accountability

[uh-koun-tuh-bil-i-tee]

noun

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.

Other Word Forms

• nonaccountability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of accountability¹

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

Example Sentences

But, she adds: "There are parts of my crime that I 100% took accountability for, so being in prison is something that I've made peace with and I'm OK with."

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Several users warned of a potentially dangerous unveiling of private information performed without clear guardrails, consent or accountability.

Read more on Salon

It said it raised "serious questions about transparency, accountability, and respect for The Gambian people's right to know what actions are taken in their name".

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“When the second TikTok came out, our team acted swiftly and with humility, immediately taking accountability and sending her a package to ensure we got it right this time,” Solomon said in a statement.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

One problem they identified is a lack of accountability in the England set-up.

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Related Words

• liability 

When To Use

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.