responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible: such as
a
: moral, legal, or mental accountability
take/accept/claim responsibility for the incident
b
: reliability, trustworthiness
She is completely lacking in responsibility.
The students learned a sense of responsibility with the project.
2
: something for which one is responsible : burden
has neglected his responsibilities
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.
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
Universal spent far more than usual to guarantee the security of screenings, assuming responsibility for damages, hiring guards to escort every print of the film, and sweeping movie theatres for bombs.
—Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Nehemiah organized the city’s rebuilding through a collaborative process based on shared responsibility.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
The email said the fees for non-voted tax dollars are paid by the County Commission, while school taxes approved by voters would likely be the responsibility of the school district.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2026
The policy represents a rare step within the automotive industry, where questions surrounding liability and responsibility often remain unresolved.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
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Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Nehemiah organized the city’s rebuilding through a collaborative process based on shared responsibility.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
The email said the fees for non-voted tax dollars are paid by the County Commission, while school taxes approved by voters would likely be the responsibility of the school district.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2026
The policy represents a rare step within the automotive industry, where questions surrounding liability and responsibility often remain unresolved.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
Cite this Entry
“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsibility. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible
2
: the quality of being dependable
3
: something for which one is responsible
neglected his responsibilities
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