responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible: such as
a
: moral, legal, or mental accountability
b
: reliability, trustworthiness
2
: something for which one is responsible : burden
has neglected his responsibilities
Synonyms
- blame
- fault
- liability
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
… Landau's piece, examining the fan's, and the journalist's responsibility to rock stars … 
Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971 A great soprano has a responsibility to her public … Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970 The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T … John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954 Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society. John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947 The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence. A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. The janitor has many responsibilities. Mowing the lawn is your responsibility. She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities. It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave. In her new position, she will have much more responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the environment. The government's responsibility is to serve the public. The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35. See More
Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971 A great soprano has a responsibility to her public … Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970 The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T … John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954 Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society. John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947 The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence. A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. The janitor has many responsibilities. Mowing the lawn is your responsibility. She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities. It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave. In her new position, she will have much more responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the environment. The government's responsibility is to serve the public. The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35. See More Recent Examples on the Web Whether on guns, public education, or public health, conservatives see no broader social responsibility, believing that personal beliefs take precedence. David Marques, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 That understanding and trust have led to more responsibility for both him and center Luke Wypler, who’s also in Year 2 as a starter. Stephen Means, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 State officials emphasized on Friday that districts have long been tasked with this responsibility under the law, though these provisions were ignored for decades. Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The auditor recommends outsourcing that responsibility to an outside company. Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 Hearst’s eponymous label is committed to environmental responsibility. Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 His family filed a lawsuit in February alleging the city bears responsibility for his death partly because the Chicago Police Department did not have a policy on foot pursuits at the time. Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 But Michigan law gives the responsibility to certify election software to the Board of State Canvassers, not the EAC. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 8 Sep. 2022 And all of that new responsibility can exacerbate existing mental health conditions, trigger new feelings of anxiety and depression, and potentially even lead to an eating disorder. Kirsten Nunez, SELF, 8 Sep. 2022 See More
David Marques, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 That understanding and trust have led to more responsibility for both him and center Luke Wypler, who’s also in Year 2 as a starter. Stephen Means, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 State officials emphasized on Friday that districts have long been tasked with this responsibility under the law, though these provisions were ignored for decades. Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The auditor recommends outsourcing that responsibility to an outside company. Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 Hearst’s eponymous label is committed to environmental responsibility. Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 His family filed a lawsuit in February alleging the city bears responsibility for his death partly because the Chicago Police Department did not have a policy on foot pursuits at the time. Annie Sweeney, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 But Michigan law gives the responsibility to certify election software to the Board of State Canvassers, not the EAC. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 8 Sep. 2022 And all of that new responsibility can exacerbate existing mental health conditions, trigger new feelings of anxiety and depression, and potentially even lead to an eating disorder. Kirsten Nunez, SELF, 8 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see responsible
First Known Use
1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing responsibility
Kids Definition
responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty ri-ˌspän-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being in charge of someone or something
2
: the quality of being dependable
Show responsibility by always doing your homework.
3
: something or someone for which someone has charge
The children are my responsibility.
responsibility
noun
1
as in blame
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right responsibility for the accident lies with the driver who was speeding Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- blame
- accountability
- liability
- fault
- answerability
2
as in obligation
something one must do because of prior agreement I had the responsibility of closing up the shop at night Synonyms & Similar Words
- obligation
- duty
- need
- burden
- commitment
- promise
- vow
- office
- imperative
- requirement
- do
- pledge
- constraint
- charge
- pact
- payment
- oath
- contract
- devoir
- must
- trust
- debt
- arrangement
- incumbency
- word
- compulsion
- tribute
- covenant
- setup
- restraint
- onus
- reservation
- coercion
- compact
- prearrangement
- engagement
- force
- appointment
- duress
- troth
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- relief
- grace
- ease
- waiver
- discharge
- exemption
- choice
- release
- stay
- postponement
- option
- selection
- alternative
- preference
- loophole
- pick
3
as in reliability
worthiness as the recipient of another's trust or confidence the newspaper publisher should hire kids of greater responsibility to deliver its papers Synonyms & Similar Words
- reliability
- reliableness
- trustworthiness
- credibility
- dependability
- solidity
- dependableness
- trustability
- infallibility
- solidness
- creditability
- inerrancy
- sureness
- creditableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unreliability
- dodginess
- questionableness
- dubiousness
- shakiness
- doubtfulness
- uncertainness
