answer for
Britishverb
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to be liable or responsible for (a person's actions, behaviour, etc)
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to vouch for or speak on behalf of (a person)
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to suffer or atone for (one's wrongdoing)
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Take responsibility for, take charge of, as in The new alarm system has to answer for the security of the grounds . [Late 1200s]
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Take the blame for, as in The kids who were caught shoplifting have a lot to answer for . [c. 1200]
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To vouch for or sponsor someone, as in I'll answer for John as a reliable employee . [Early 1700s]
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.
That decision, and the appropriateness of the supervision, is what they should answer for.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Spence said she didn’t have an answer for why demand was slowing, but noted many comments from manufacturers suggested it was due to higher prices.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
On Thursday, that officer was released from jail, and it’s likely he may never have to answer for his charges in court.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
“When the accountability comes, and I promise you accountability is coming, everyone involved in them will answer for it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
I was to look through his long calculation sheets and compute an answer for him.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
