answerable

[an-ser-uh-buhl, ahn-]

adjective

1. liable to be asked to give account; responsible.

   He is answerable to a committee for all his decisions.

2. capable of being answered.

   a question answerable by mail.

3. proportionate; correlative (usually followed byto ).

4. corresponding; suitable (usually followed byto ).

   The amount is not answerable to my needs.

answerable

/ ˈɑːnsərəbəl /

adjective

1. (postpositive; foll by for or to) responsible or accountable

   answerable for someone's safety

   answerable to one's boss

2. able to be answered

Other Word Forms

• answerability noun
• answerably adverb
• answerableness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of answerable¹

First recorded in 1540–50; answer + -able

Example Sentences

It also meant that Buckingham Palace stopped being answerable for his behaviour.

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The commissioner would be in charge of ensuring standards of care for victims and would answerable to parliament.

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Breyer left no stone unturned in detailing the president’s lawless deployment of troops and his plan to turn the military into a national police force answerable only to him.

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So, at Alpine, for example, he would ultimately be answerable to Renault's board.

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From Aden to Kuwait, a crescent of Arabian protectorates was governed from Delhi, overseen by the Indian Political Service, policed by Indian troops, and answerable to the Viceroy of India.

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Related Words

• accountable 
• amenable 
• liable 
• obligated 
• obliged