responsibility
[ ri-spon-suh-bil-i-tee ]
/ rɪˌspɒn səˈbɪl ɪ ti /
Save This Word!
noun, plural re·spon·si·bil·i·ties.
the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management.
an instance of being responsible: The responsibility for this mess is yours!
a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible: the responsibilities of authority.
a person or thing for which one is responsible: A child is a responsibility to its parents.
reliability or dependability, especially in meeting debts or payments.
OTHER WORDS FOR responsibility
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Idioms about responsibility
on one's own responsibility, on one's own initiative or authority: He changed the order on his own responsibility.
Origin of responsibility
First recorded in 1780–90; respons(ible) + -ibility
OTHER WORDS FROM responsibility
non·re·spon·si·bil·i·ty, noun, plural non·re·spon·si·bil·i·ties.pre·re·spon·si·bil·i·ty, noun, plural pre·re·spon·si·bil·i·ties.self-re·spon·si·bil·i·ty, nounsu·per·re·spon·si·bil·i·ty, noun, plural su·per·re·spon·si·bil·i·ties.Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use responsibility in a sentence
They assume the non-responsibility of the community for anything beyond keeping the destitute applicant alive.
English Poor Law Policy|Sidney Webb
British Dictionary definitions for responsibility
responsibility
/ (rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪtɪ) /
noun plural -ties
the state or position of being responsible
a person or thing for which one is responsible
the ability or authority to act or decide on one's own, without supervision
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012