1
as in blame
the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right
responsibility for the accident lies with the driver who was speeding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in obligation
something one must do because of prior agreement
I had the responsibility of closing up the shop at night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reliability
worthiness as the recipient of another's trust or confidence
the newspaper publisher should hire kids of greater responsibility to deliver its papers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 responsibility
Red Seat will shoulder responsibility for ad sales across Audiochuck’s stable of programs and podcasts.
—
Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Readiness depends more on your child’s maturity and responsibility than on their age.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025
New Heights is committed not only to students in the classroom but the whole person and their responsibilities with families and challenges in life that some people might take for granted, Berry said.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
The hours did not work with her caregiving responsibilities even though the income would have helped.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Readiness depends more on your child’s maturity and responsibility than on their age.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025
New Heights is committed not only to students in the classroom but the whole person and their responsibilities with families and challenges in life that some people might take for granted, Berry said.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
The hours did not work with her caregiving responsibilities even though the income would have helped.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for responsibility
Noun
-
Stolarz shouldn’t shoulder all the blame for allowing four goals through two periods.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
On both sides of the ball, the Jets haven't been able to get enough done, but more of the blame falls on the offense.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Issuing a faulty boarding pass and leaving you stranded in Toronto is a clear breach of that obligation.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Recently, the L’Oréal Paris spokesperson has been jet-setting around the world fulfilling her stylish obligations.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What skills — care, competence, sincerity, and reliability — are needed to strengthen the trust in these relationships?—
Colin Bedell,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Customers and industry experts, like those with Consumer Reports, say that Viasat and Hughesnet, in particular, suffer from reliability issues.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The duty to settle honor scores was forced upon Rashida by his elders.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The adorable pup lies flat on their stomach, fast asleep, as their owner gently drags them through the airport queue—clearly not quite ready for a full day on duty.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Takaichi has underscored the need to accelerate Japan’s military buildup after years of pacifism since World War II, echoing Abe’s militaristic vision.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Budgets should be more balanced when economic times are good, when there is less need for government stimulus and greater opportunities to grow tax revenue.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That brings China’s current tariff burden down from about 57 percent to around 47 percent.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Earlier this month, lawmakers in the state tasked by DeWine with finding a solution to the heavy property tax burden shouldered by Ohio homeowners came up with 20 different proposals.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Earlier this month, Bush told PEOPLE that Bills quarterback Josh Allen and his wife, actress Hailee Steinfeld, have previously put on the party, but work commitments prevented Steinfeld from continuing the tradition.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
He is known for his decades-long commitment to storytelling, education and cultural impact through his work on Reading Rainbow, which earned more than 200 broadcast awards including multiple Emmys and a Peabody.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/responsibility. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share