1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in debt
usually liabilities plural something (as money) which is owed your liabilities total about $200,000

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Many companies haven’t seen things getting better, with 49% of respondents saying that workers’ political speech on social media will lead to more clashes and be a greater liability in 2026, a midterm election year. Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025 Because businesses have a responsibility to follow the law, some places licensed as a restaurant still may not allow anyone under the age of 21 to enter and remain in order to avoid liability. Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025 Could be an asset, or could be a liability. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 Oct. 2025 Cruz, who has previously proposed NIL reform legislation that included antitrust exemptions for the NCAA and conferences, is now reportedly working on a new bipartisan measure that is expected to feature some form of liability protection. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for liability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liability
Noun
  • Japan and the European Union now have tariffs at that level, putting South Korea at a competitive disadvantage.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
  • In the weeks and months leading up to Ruiz’s trial, Judge Bill Lewis made several decisions that, according to Ruiz’s lawyer, put his client at a disadvantage.
    Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has taken responsibility for the jailbreak but also blamed a lack of resources, from faulty locks to staffing shortages, as well as the escapees' network of accomplices.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Risk-mapping across business units, reassessing compliance as a governance responsibility, and exploring voluntary certifications or alliances establish new baselines for trust and safety.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Even a few minutes’ exposure can delay it.
    Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
  • And, unlike sovereign assets, bitcoin carries no risk of default and no exposure to a single government’s fiscal or political decisions.
    Luke Xie, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That separation is designed to reduce the likelihood that attackers can use vulnerabilities in ancillary hardware to infiltrate the servers.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Back in 2023, Dalio warned the likelihood of a third world war had increased to 50% following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Wicks acknowledges a debt to the original genre-defining show.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Kyiv would be required to repay the debt only if Russia paid reparations for its war.
    Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • EconomyFortune 500 Experts say Trump’s $100,000 fee for a talent visa is a handicap on the tech industry.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Basque producers hope for a similar breakthrough, positioning their language not as a handicap but as a marker of distinction.
    Callum McLennan, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Democratic elders have sought to cast blame on Republicans for the shutdown, arguing it could be averted if the GOP agreed to attach provisions to the CR enacting healthcare reforms.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
  • That damaging psychic weight of insecurity and self-blame seeps into our society and politics, where polls show a stubborn and longtime trend of declining faith in a better future.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The email refers to a 2021 incident that saw the information of over 21 million users of the parking app leaked through a vulnerability within third-party software.
    James Peckham, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2025
  • And the love and the trust then allow for vulnerability.
    Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Liability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liability. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

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