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.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web During the jury press conference on Tuesday, Larson took issue with being asked to answer for Depp's latest project Jeanne Du Barry serving as the opener to the prestigious film festival one year after his controversial trial with ex-wife Amber Heard. Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 16 May 2023 The problem is nobody, not even the bots, has a good answer for that yet. Victoria Song, The Verge, 14 May 2023 In turn, Phoenix must find an answer for Jokic, who is averaging 31.5 points, 17.5 rebounds and five assists so far in this series. Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 4 May 2023 The Harkonnens have an answer for that question, and his name is Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler). Christian Holub, EW.com, 3 May 2023 Such sources could be hauled before their governments and made to answer for their actions. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2023 All-Purpose Fragrance-Free, Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent is the perfect answer for those looking for a laundry detergent to help keep their sensitive skin free from irritation. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2023 But Texas couldn't finish, unable to find an answer for the deadeye shooting of Jordan Miller and missing 14 of its last 19 shots from the field while getting outscored 51-36 in the second half. Eric Olson, Chron, 26 Mar. 2023 Avoiding painful data migration and forklift upgradesPure’s Evergreen services are the company’s answer for protection for storage investments, avoiding functionality loss over time and expensive data and hardware migrations. Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 See More

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 9 Jun. 2023.

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