accountability

noun

ac·​count·​abil·​i·​ty ə-ˌkau̇n-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce accountability (audio)
: the quality or state of being accountable
especially : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions
public officials lacking accountability

Examples of accountability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web True accountability is an agreement to engage, contribute and deliver on commitments that matter. Antoine Andrews, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Early last season, players struggled with that kind of accountability. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023 Winning for investors would prove an epic victory for accountability in a business racked by fraud. Byshawn Tully, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2023 Universal humanitarian values, civil liberties, the rule of law and political accountability have always been the foundations of Israeli society. Eli Cohen, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2023 Swift has performed three more shows in Brazil, including two in the same stadium — even as the country has sought accountability in the wake of the Nov. 17 show, and the Brazilian company that organized the show, Time4Fun, is the subject of government and police investigations. Marina Dias, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2023 The murkiness enables people to make dubious claims about what is dominant or popular online and allows the platforms to retort with similarly flimsy or warped evidence, limiting accountability on all sides, the researchers said. Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2023 It can be complicated for some fans of these shows at a time when others are calling for accountability from the network. Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2023 This is the first of The Untouchables, a series of NBC News stories about how and why federal law enforcement officials accused of violating constitutional rights face little legal accountability. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accountability.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

accountable + -ity

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of accountability was in 1750

Dictionary Entries Near accountability

Cite this Entry

“Accountability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountability. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!