liability

noun

ˌlī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce liability (audio)
Definition of liabilitynext
1
as in disadvantage
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success though his small size is a liability as a football player, he makes up for it with speed

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2
as in responsibility
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right the liability for the accident is held by the person who was driving too fast

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3
as in exposure
the state of being left without shelter or protection against something harmful failure to properly clean the wound could increase your liability to infection

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4
as in likelihood
the quality or state of being likely to occur what's the liability that he'll file a formal complaint if he's refused admission?

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5
as in debt
usually liabilities plural something (as money) which is owed your liabilities total about $200,000

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of liability If the answer was too monochrome, the company’s policy could draw legal liability and even an investigation from the federal government. — Wendy R. Anderson, Washington Post, 10 July 2026 Instead, the party opted for a progressive newcomer who ultimately proved untested and a liability. — Philip Elliott, Time, 9 July 2026 Stevens has leaned more heavily on tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, which could become one of Stevens’ biggest liabilities in the primary. — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 Internet service providers, search engines and cloud service providers would also be shielded from liability under the law. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for liability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liability
  1. disadvantage
  2. responsibility
  3. exposure
  4. likelihood
  5. debt
  6. handicap
  7. blame
  8. vulnerability
Noun
  • Even worse, workers left to figure AI out on their own face disadvantages, including falling behind colleagues and experimenting without guardrails, exposing themselves and their organizations to data-security risks.
    — Scott Francis, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Manuel Rey | Istock | Getty Images Hawaii has some built in disadvantages in just about any state competitiveness ranking.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 9 July 2026
Definition of disadvantage
Noun
  • Tech companies like Meta and YouTube are shielded from legal responsibility for content posted by third parties, based on Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • However, the responsibilities of leading a large constitutional office required me to balance my schedule, including senior leadership meetings held on Tuesday mornings that often conflicted with BCC meetings.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Hinds County, Mississippi, reported the death of Mitchell Ray Cooley, 74, due to heat exposure on Thursday, state officials said.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • But heightened concerns about the health effects of sun exposure have brought an ever-growing number of tents, canopies and other products.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of exposure
Noun
  • The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Heavy doses over a long time are linked to a higher likelihood of heart disease and stroke.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Definition of likelihood
Noun
  • Television City, one of the most famous studios in the entertainment industry where generations of TV shows have been created, is expected to hit the market again as its owner grapples with debt.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • The culprit is management’s mix of debt and REITs—great for income, less great for growth.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of debt
Noun
  • For amenities like restrooms, a handicap accessible walkover, ample parking, and a lifeguard on duty, consider the Santa Clara Regional beach access.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • Jon Zaghloul, city of Aurora spokesperson, said a variety of parking options will be offered on Friday, with handicap accessible parking at the north end of the Aurora Transportation Center parking lot.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of handicap
Noun
  • Instead, when concerns arise, blame is routinely shifted, and responsibility becomes one-sided.
    — Mark Travers, CNBC, 5 July 2026
  • Spence also appears to be absorbing the blame for broader failures, with Thomas Tuchel’s touchline frustrations obvious and — for a player still establishing himself at this level — that scrutiny is unlikely to help.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of blame
Noun
  • More than an intricate game of cat-and-mouse, the crime drama plays on the tensions between nature and nurture while unpacking the dangers and vulnerabilities that come with loving other people.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Industries and critical infrastructure are racing to catch up with new AI models with increasingly advanced abilities that can find and exploit (but also defend against) cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of vulnerability

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Cite this Entry

“Liability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liability. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on liability

Nglish: Translation of liability for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about liability

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