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

Close friends and wedding guests Roofeeo and Pedro Cavaliere, assumed DJing responsibilities after the fireworks ended and the rain slowed, and the party didn’t stop from then on. — Alexandra Macon, Vogue, "The Bride Wore Custom Calvin Klein, and the Groom Wore a Bucket Hat at This Miami Museum Wedding," 31 Jan. 2019 There, Kate learned about the department's responsibilities and chatted with dancers from the Royal Ballet about their costumes. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton Wears a Green Belted Midi Dress to Visit Family Action Charity," 22 Jan. 2019 But at the time, immigration policy — under the Immigration and Naturalization Service — was also the attorney general’s responsibility. — Dara Lind, Vox, "William Barr hearing: attorney general nominee’s immigration record aligns with Trump’s," 16 Jan. 2019 Being a celebrity on social media comes a host of responsibilities, one of which inevitably involves dealing with trolls who just can’t seem to understand that their negativity isn’t welcome. — Tess Garcia, Teen Vogue, "Kelsea Ballerini Responds to Internet Troll Who Told Her to "Lose Some Weight"," 10 Nov. 2018 This is a wonderful time to focus your attention inward and reflect on your relationships, responsibilities, and — perhaps most importantly — boundaries. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "What November's Leo Horoscope Means for You," 28 Oct. 2018 The bedrock of Albanian society is besa, a code of conduct that calls for trust, responsibility, and generous hospitality. — Sarah Souli, Condé Nast Traveler, "Kosovo Is an All-Night Party—And Shows No Signs of Slowing Down," 26 Oct. 2018 As a matter of self-interest as well as social responsibility, the industry is moving ahead to advance its sustainability performance regardless of the direction of national policy. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "The 10 top emerging trends that will shape real estate in 2019," 10 Oct. 2018 Kansas is one of three states that leaves the responsibility of regulating the massage industry to local governments, the Journal-World reports. — Lisa Gutierrez, kansascity, "Legalize ‘happy ending’ massages, Lawrence man urges council. His passion is praised," 11 July 2018

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.