responsibility

[ri-spon-suh-bil-i-tee]

noun

plural

responsibilities 

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.

responsibility

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of responsibility¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

   He changed the order on his own responsibility.

Example Sentences

Cut-outs are the property and responsibility of companies called Distribution Network Operators and must not be touched or changed by anyone without their permission.

From BBC

"This guy holds a lot of power, a lot of responsibility."

From BBC

As Diamond departs, Neil McIlroy will arrive on 1 November in the newly created role of sporting general manager, with responsibility for all rugby management.

From BBC

“They have responsibility to confirm or not confirm,” he said of the council.

From Los Angeles Times

“When all of your neighbors are no longer here — or died — or living elsewhere and lost everything, it just feels like a tremendous amount of responsibility.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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