responsibly

American  

[ri-spahns-uhb-lee] / rɪˈspɑns əb li /

adverb

1. in a sensible, trustworthy, and prudent way.

2. in a way that reflects a duty or responsibility.

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Explanation

When you do something in a careful, trustworthy way, you do it responsibly. If you spend your money responsibly, you'll probably be able to save some of it. Acting responsibly is important in life — it's what makes people trust you, and it means you usually do things only after thinking them over and choosing what's wisest or most sensible. You can't get a driver's license until you prove you can drive responsibly. And, before someone hires you to babysit, they'll want to know you act responsibly. The Latin root is respons-, "answerable" or "offered in return."

Example Sentences

"Things are a bit uncertain in parliament, and that is why we have decided to act responsibly in this situation by making the decision this morning to withdraw this bill," Strommer told reporters.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Bottom line: VPNs protect privacy, but not legal risk, so use them responsibly.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026

So before adding a child as an authorized user, make sure you’re using the account responsibly yourself.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

“Kenya will continue to act responsibly in safeguarding both national and global health security,” the country’s health minister said in a statement Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

“Never mind about that,” said Brinker with his face responsibly grave.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles