answerable
adjective
an·swer·able ˈan(t)-s(ə-)rə-bəl 
1
: liable to be called to account : responsible
The specialists who design the programs work for and are answerable to distant development agencies.
Samia Altaf
Samia AltafThe Fed's prestige is back up, and meanwhile we have a Congress that is elected and is answerable to the people … Adam Smith
Adam Smith2
: capable of being answered or refuted
There has been a controversy on the question of whether the species was genetically closer to the horse or to the zebra. This question may possibly be answerable now that DNA from the three species is available for comparison. Harold M. Schmeck Jr.
Harold M. Schmeck Jr.an answerable assertion
3
archaic : suitable, adequate
4
archaic : corresponding, similar
answerability
ˌan(t)-s(ə-)rə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun 
Synonyms
- accountable
- amenable
- liable
- responsible
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a powerful businesswoman who seems to think that she's answerable to no one you are answerable for your own conduct at all times
Recent Examples on the Web The usual conceit was simple: the questions were ones answerable by Black people, and the third contestant was often a white person hopelessly fumbling and failing through the categories. Mary Margaret, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2022 In 2014, as Xi moved to consolidate his power over the internet, the CAC was made answerable to a central cybersecurity and technology leadership group in the Communist Party under his command. Jane Li, Quartz, 23 Aug. 2021 Public-school teachers and administrators are public employees and as such are answerable to the public that employs them, and school-board elections are not the only instruments of accountability. Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 17 Mar. 2022 Not everyone would prefer to trust the anonymous servers of the cryptocurrency world with their finances, rather than large financial institutions that are answerable to shareholders and, yes, government regulators. Daniel Rasmussen, WSJ, 11 Mar. 2022 Those questions are, in the case of musicians asking to pull their music from Spotify to protest vaccine misinformation, answerable. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2022 So here are very easily answerable questions for you Steve Case. Fortune Editors, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2022 Members of the Providence School Board are mayor-appointed and not answerable to the general public. Bradly J. Vanderstad, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Jan. 2022 Veterans have completed their military service and are no longer answerable to the government. Mark Cancian, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2021 See More
Mary Margaret, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2022 In 2014, as Xi moved to consolidate his power over the internet, the CAC was made answerable to a central cybersecurity and technology leadership group in the Communist Party under his command. Jane Li, Quartz, 23 Aug. 2021 Public-school teachers and administrators are public employees and as such are answerable to the public that employs them, and school-board elections are not the only instruments of accountability. Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 17 Mar. 2022 Not everyone would prefer to trust the anonymous servers of the cryptocurrency world with their finances, rather than large financial institutions that are answerable to shareholders and, yes, government regulators. Daniel Rasmussen, WSJ, 11 Mar. 2022 Those questions are, in the case of musicians asking to pull their music from Spotify to protest vaccine misinformation, answerable. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2022 So here are very easily answerable questions for you Steve Case. Fortune Editors, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2022 Members of the Providence School Board are mayor-appointed and not answerable to the general public. Bradly J. Vanderstad, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Jan. 2022 Veterans have completed their military service and are no longer answerable to the government. Mark Cancian, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
answerable
adjective
an·swer·able ˈan-sə-rə-bəl
1
: responsible sense 1
You are answerable for your actions.
2
: possible to answer
an answerable question
answerable
adjective
1
as in responsible
being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so you are answerable for your own conduct at all times Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- responsible
- liable
- accountable
- obligated
- amenable
- indebted
- beholden
- obliged
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unaccountable
- exempt
- irresponsible
- immune
- nonaccountable
2
as in resolvable
capable of having the reason for or cause of determined they say this equation is not answerable Synonyms & Similar Words
- resolvable
- explicable
- feasible
- solvable
- explainable
- soluble
- analyzable
- decipherable
- workable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insoluble
- inexplicable
- difficult
- hopeless
- unsolvable
- impossible
- inextricable
- unexplainable
- insolvable
- knotty
- unresolvable
- insuperable
- absurd
- ridiculous
- preposterous
- outlandish
- fantastic
- fantastical
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of answerable are accountable, amenable, liable, and responsible. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance.
an intelligence agency answerable to Congress
The synonyms accountable and answerable are sometimes interchangeable, but accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.
elected officials are accountable to the voters
Both amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions.
laws are amenable to judicial review
not liable for the debts of the former spouse
The meanings of responsible and answerable largely overlap; however, responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.
the bureau responsible for revenue collection