responsibility

American  

[ri-spon-suh-bil-i-tee] / rɪˌspɒn səˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

• responsibilities
  plural

1. the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management.

   Synonyms:

   accountability, answerability

2. an instance of being responsible.

   The responsibility for this mess is yours!

3. a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible.

   the responsibilities of authority.

4. a person or thing for which one is responsible.

   A child is a responsibility to their parents.

5. reliability or dependability, especially in meeting debts or payments.

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idioms

1. on one's own responsibility, on one's own initiative or authority.

   He changed the order on his own responsibility.

responsibility British  

/ rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or position of being responsible

2. a person or thing for which one is responsible

3. the ability or authority to act or decide on one's own, without supervision

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonresponsibility
  noun
• preresponsibility
  noun
• self-responsibility
  noun
• superresponsibility
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• responsibilities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of responsibility

First recorded in 1780–90; respons(ible) + -ibility

Explanation

A responsibility is something you're required to do as an upstanding member of a community. If you're in a band, it's your responsibility to learn the songs and show up to practice on time. Responsibility comes from the Latin responsus, which means "to respond." There are actually a few different definitions of the noun. It can be another word for "trustworthiness," as in, "He demonstrated his responsibility by showing up to practice on time." And it can be used to describe the social force that motivates us to take on individual responsibilities, as in, "A sense of responsibility drove him to memorize all of the songs."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

responsibility responsibilities

Its new building, funded by a private company's corporate social responsibility programme, and students' trophies make it one of the better-equipped schools in the area.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Passive group listening—because radio removes the responsibility for playing DJ for a room full of people.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Vandenberg takes both installation security and our responsibility to invited media seriously.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"The master's responsibility in any vessel is to just get the cargo safely to its destination," she said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

Dad thinks saying “I’ll figure it out” is her way of refusing responsibility.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

“Today, I am returning to exercise my responsibilities as governor of Sinaloa with my head held high and with the truth on our side,” Rocha said in a statement posted on X.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Bass’ clap-back — that Raman’s colleagues also had other official responsibilities yet “they find their way to work” — drew “ooohs” from the audience at the debate, put on by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Dillon said the "deeply concerning" Swans scandal had again thrust into focus "our responsibilities as a sport".

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

One of Trump's longest-serving and most loyal aides, 35-year-old Harp is trusted with typing out his Truth Social posts, among other top responsibilities.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Life, however, was yet in my possession, with all its requirements, and pains, and responsibilities.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• authority
• burden
• duty
• guilt
• importance
• liability
• obligation
• power
• restraint
• trust