liability
Americannoun
plural
liabilities-
liabilities,
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Finance. moneys owed; debts or pecuniary obligations (opposed to assets).
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Accounting. liabilities as detailed on a balance sheet, especially in relation to assets and capital.
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something disadvantageous.
His lack of education is his biggest liability.
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Also liableness the state or quality of being liable.
liability to disease.
noun
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the state of being liable
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a financial obligation
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a hindrance or disadvantage
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likelihood or probability
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of liability
Explanation
A liability is a debt or obligation or a personal flaw that stands in your way. A company's liabilities are simply the debts on its ledger, but a personal liability might be your extreme shyness in social situations. Depending on how you use it, the word liability has very different meanings. In a business or financial sense, a liability is a debt or fiscal obligation, like a mortgage or a loan. A limited liability company means if the company fails, the partners are on the hook for only what they initially invested in the company. A personal liability, however, is some element of your past, your character, or your behavior that might give you a disadvantage.
Vocabulary lists containing liability
The Lightning Thief
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The Kite Runner
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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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.
Conversely, the Marines’ documents emphasized personal liability and responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Schwank said ICE’s training touches on personal liability but not in as much depth.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Live Nation responded to the ruling in a statement that said, “The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter. Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand.”
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Traditional product liability demands a defect in the product or its labeling.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
During those long afternoons in the pool, he paddled and laughed and tossed our small bodies into the air, his diminished legs suddenly less of a liability.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
