accountable
Americanadjective
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subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.
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capable of being explained; explicable; explainable.
adjective
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responsible to someone or for some action; answerable
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able to be explained
Usage
What does accountable mean? Accountable means obligated to explain, justify, and take responsibility for one's actions, and to answer to someone, such as a person with more authority. The state of being accountable is accountability. The word accountable is often used in the context of individuals taking responsibility for their actions. It’s 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. Accountable is often used with the verb hold, as in We need to hold him accountable for his actions. Example: The system of checks and balances is intended to keep the different branches of government accountable.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of accountable
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; account + -able
Explanation
If you're responsible for your own actions, you are accountable for them. You are accountable for your behavior in school. So even if your friend throws pudding at you at lunch, you don't have the right to fling mystery meat back. Accountable comes from the word "account," which is itself from the Old French word acont, meaning to count (as in money). While you can be accountable for monetary damages, you're most likely to be held accountable for your actions and behavior, and the actions of your children and pets. If your dog bites another dog, you may be accountable for any vet bills incurred by the other dog's owner.
Vocabulary lists containing accountable
Night
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Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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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.
Special envoys like Landry, who arrived on a government plane wearing jeans, aren’t accountable to the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
“The prediction markets are running national sportsbooks,” he added, “and it’s time to hold them accountable in the same way we are.”
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
To prepare for future fires, Raman plans to build a more reliable emergency communication system and hold the Los Angeles Fire Department accountable by publishing neighborhood-level performance data.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
This is why it’s crucial for not just the DOJ but also private citizens to be able to hold states accountable.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
Their conviction of Sula’s evil changed them in accountable yet mysterious ways.
From "Sula" by Toni Morrison
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.
