accountable

adjective

ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: subject to giving an account : answerable
held her accountable for the damage
2
: capable of being explained : explainable
… leaving aside variations accountable as printer's errors …Peter Shaw
accountableness noun
accountably adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for accountable

responsible, answerable, accountable, amenable, liable mean subject to being held to account.

responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

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

accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.

elected officials are accountable to the voters

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

Examples of accountable in a Sentence

If anything goes wrong I will hold you personally accountable! the owner was held accountable for his dog's biting of the child
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jeffrey Epstein's cabal of politicians, bureaucrats, and elites who turned a blind eye must be held accountable. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025 Holding the youths accountable and avoiding jail is not the program's only goal. Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Hold vendors accountable with service-level agreements and audits to ensure reliability and prevent critical service disruptions. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Supporters see it as proof the judiciary is holding the executive power accountable. Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for accountable

Word History

Etymology

Middle English accountable, accomptable, borrowed from Anglo-French acomptable, from acunter "to account entry 2" + -able -able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of accountable was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Accountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountable. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

accountable

adjective
ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇nt-ə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: responsible for giving an account (as of one's acts)
will be held accountable
2
: capable of being accounted for : explainable
accountability
-ˌkau̇nt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
accountably adverb

Legal Definition

accountable

adjective
ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: liable
accountable for the burglary
2
: obliged to accept responsibility
the bank accountable for payment of the check
accountability noun

More from Merriam-Webster on accountable

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