liable

American  

[lahy-uh-buhl] / ˈlaɪ ə bəl /

adjective

1. legally responsible.

   You are liable for the damage caused by your action.

   Synonyms:

   accountable, answerable

2. subject or susceptible.

   to be liable to heart disease.

3. likely or apt.

   He's liable to get angry.

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liable British  

/ ˈlaɪəbəl /

adjective

1. legally obliged or responsible; answerable

2. susceptible or exposed; subject

3. probable, likely, or capable

   it's liable to happen soon

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Usage

Liable is often interchangeable with likely in constructions with a following infinitive where the sense is that of probability: The Sox are liable (or likely ) to sweep the Series. Some usage guides, however, say that liable can be used only in contexts in which the outcome is undesirable: The picnic is liable to be spoiled by rain. This use occurs often in formal writing but not to the exclusion of use in contexts in which the outcome is desirable: The drop in unemployment is liable to stimulate the economy. Apt may also be used in place of liable or likely in all the foregoing examples. See also apt, likely.

The use of liable to to mean likely to was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable

Other Word Forms

• liableness noun
• nonliable adjective
• preliable adjective
• unliable adjective

Etymology

Origin of liable

First recorded in 1535–45; from Anglo-French “to bind,” from Latin ligāre ) + -able

Explanation

If you drive into someone's fence, you’ll probably be held liable — legally responsible — for fixing it. Liable can also mean “likely,” usually with something unpleasant: "If you don't brush your teeth, they're liable to fall out." When liable refers to legal responsibility, it's used with "for": "You're liable for the court costs" (meaning you have to pay them). When liable means "likely," it's with "to": "If you build your house on that cliff, it's liable to fall into the river," or "That part of town is liable to mudslides." Don't confuse liable with libel, which is a legal term for slander, or saying something false and damaging about someone.

Example Sentences

Last month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube liable over a young woman’s claims that her addiction to social media caused a host of mental-health struggles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Each had sought to hold the companies liable for “product design flaws—that is, the defendant’s own misconduct.”

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

The ruling came shortly after a New Mexico jury found Meta liable for $375 million in damages after the state Atty.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Tech giants Meta and YouTube were found to be liable for designing their platforms to be addictive, which harmed a 20-year-old's mental health.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Fortunately for Welles and Houseman, their lawyer had added a clause to their CBS contract ensuring that they and the Mercury would not be liable for their show’s content.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• apt
• inclined
• prone
• sensitive
• susceptible
• vulnerable