accountable

adjective

ac·count·able | \ ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl

\

Definition of accountable

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

Other Words from accountable Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about accountable

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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

But although holding governments accountable is indeed vital, such thinking ignores a lot of potential impact. — Meagan Neal, Vox, "It’s hard to design good policies. This simple idea can help governments do it.," 21 Dec. 2018 To be Muslim is to remain accountable to that suffering. — Sadia Hassan, Longreads, "Silence is a Lonely Country: A Prayer in Twelve Parts," 13 July 2018 Kela has also been accountable with the media, giving a professional air about him. — Jeff Wilson, star-telegram, "In a development season for Rangers, how is the development going?," 2 July 2018 Great learners and communicators Good U.S. presidents must know how to listen, integrate new complex information, sell concepts, and be accountable. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, "Why CEOs Make Great Politicians," 14 June 2018 The new policies would codify ways in which school police officers will be accountable to the public. — Talia Richman, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore school board to vote on new policies for police officers," 11 June 2018 Every person who owns a gun must be accountable for their guns at home. — W. Gardner Selby, San Antonio Express-News, "Patrick claim about state’s loaded gun law accurate," 3 June 2018 Phone banking with friends will make the process less intimidating and also gives you a way to hold each other accountable. — Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, "7 Last-Minute Things You Can Do to Make a Difference in the Midterm Elections," 2 Nov. 2018 An industry that provides safety nets and holds our companies accountable. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Telltale plans to finish The Walking Dead despite mass layoffs," 25 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'accountable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near accountable

Statistics for accountable

Last Updated

9 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for accountable

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

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More Definitions for accountable

accountable

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of accountable

: required to explain actions or decisions to someone

: required to be responsible for something

See the full definition for accountable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

accountable

adjective

ac·count·able | \ ə-ˈkȧun-tə-bəl\

Kids Definition of accountable

1 : required to explain actions or decisions The mayor is accountable to the city's residents.

2 : responsible sense 1 You're accountable for your mistakes.

accountable

adjective

ac·count·able | \ ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl

\

Legal Definition of accountable

1 : liable accountable for the burglary

2 : obliged to accept responsibility the bank accountable for payment of the check

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