answer for (something)
idiom
1
: to take responsibility for (something)
I can't answer for their safety.
The company will have to answer for any damage done by its employees.
2
: to be punished for (something)
He must answer for his crimes.
3
US
: to be used or serve as (something)
The old bucket answered for a sink.
Examples of answer for (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, that’s not to say that the SM58 is the answer for everything.
—
Spin Contributor, SPIN, 30 May 2024
This was a totally unacceptable answer for Walton, who had befriended the Dead in the mid-1970s during his time playing for the Portland Trailblazers.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024
Even with Brunson a busted foot, Indiana didn’t have an answer for the 6-foot-2 lefty.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 26 May 2024
Thompson seemingly had an answer for every Century defender thrown at him, finishing with a game-high 25 points, determined to come home with the second win of the season over his school’s arch rival.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Aledo takes game one from Centennial in pitchers’ duel
Burleson Centennial did not have an answer for Aledo ace Brenlee Gonzales in game one of the Class 5A region one final.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2024
The Enquirer's Just Askin' series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 19 May 2024
The study doesn’t provide a definitive answer for why humans sing, but the researchers’ leading hypothesis is that music promotes social bonding.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 May 2024
There is, of course, no data that could attempt an answer for that.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
Spin Contributor, SPIN, 30 May 2024
This was a totally unacceptable answer for Walton, who had befriended the Dead in the mid-1970s during his time playing for the Portland Trailblazers.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024
Even with Brunson a busted foot, Indiana didn’t have an answer for the 6-foot-2 lefty.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 26 May 2024
Thompson seemingly had an answer for every Century defender thrown at him, finishing with a game-high 25 points, determined to come home with the second win of the season over his school’s arch rival.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Aledo takes game one from Centennial in pitchers’ duel
Burleson Centennial did not have an answer for Aledo ace Brenlee Gonzales in game one of the Class 5A region one final.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2024
The Enquirer's Just Askin' series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google.
—Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 19 May 2024
The study doesn’t provide a definitive answer for why humans sing, but the researchers’ leading hypothesis is that music promotes social bonding.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 May 2024
There is, of course, no data that could attempt an answer for that.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'answer for (something).' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near answer for (something)
Cite this Entry
“Answer for (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/answer%20for%20%28something%29. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.
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