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

Leggett echoed Afualo’s statement about women of color having to answer for problematic comments made by white people. —Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

Ultimately, there isn't a clear answer for pet owners because eclipses happen so infrequently. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024

The Enquirer's Just Askin' series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2024

Israel has no immediate answer for such weapons, which allow for more precise line-of-sight targeting, fly low to the ground and hit targets in seconds and without warning. —Isabel Kershner Sergey Ponomarev, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024

The Lakers had no answer for De’Aaron Fox, who had his way with 44 points. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024

Vinson Cunningham’s new novel takes the reader back to a time when many thought the nation’s first Black president had an answer for every American ailment. —Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2024

Compounding that was not having an answer for Kuzma, who was able to get to his spots on the floor, using quick footwork and pump fakes to find open looks. —Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2024

In January, the average speed of answer for calls was 32 seconds, and the average contact time was about 14 minutes, according to SAMHSA data. —Mira Cheng, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024