responsibility

noun

re·spon·si·bil·i·ty | \ ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē

plural responsibilities

Definition of responsibility

1 : the quality or state of being responsible: such as

a : moral, legal, or mental accountability

b : reliability, trustworthiness

2 : something for which one is responsible : burden has neglected his responsibilities

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about responsibility

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Examples of responsibility in a Sentence

… Landau's piece, examining the fan's, and the journalist's responsibility to rock stars … — Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971 A great soprano has a responsibility to her public … — Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970 The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T … — John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954 Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society. — John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947 The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence. A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. The janitor has many responsibilities. Mowing the lawn is your responsibility. She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities. It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave. In her new position, she will have much more responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the environment. The government's responsibility is to serve the public. The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35.

Recent Examples on the Web

This leads to a discussion of Loeb's philosophy about the roles and responsibilities of academics. — Rob Reid, Ars Technica, "Nailing down the nature of ‘Oumuamua—it’s probably a comet, but…," 29 Nov. 2018 However, the beauty countered that the many responsibilities required of her interfered with her university studies. 10. — Fox News, "13 biggest beauty pageant scandals," 25 Sep. 2018 But what is not similar is the responsibility of agency lawyers and judges. — Joe Davidson, Washington Post, "Trump order risks ‘politicization’ of administrative judiciary," 13 July 2018 Every person needs to take on the responsibility to learn about, and publicly show true empathy for, different cultures and minorities. — Georgia Fowler, Harper's BAZAAR, "How to Fight Islamophobia," 23 Mar. 2019 The production process is ethical and environmentally sustainable, aligning with Parachute's notable brand ethos of authenticity and social responsibility. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Parachute Launches New Collection of Cozy, Handwoven Area Rugs," 7 Mar. 2019 The Navy says the current fleet of 288 ships is too small for the service’s global responsibilities and is looking to boost the fleet to 355 ships by the 2030s. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Navy Won’t Bring Back Mothballed Ships to Boost the Fleet," 21 Feb. 2019 Next year, the UCF Police Department will have even more responsibility. — Annie Martin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "New UCF police chief talks about preventing shootings, sex crimes," 13 July 2018 Meghan Markle is kicking off the new year with a major new royal responsibility. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Queen Reportedly Gave Meghan Markle Her First Royal Patronage," 7 Jan. 2019

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