accountability

Definition of accountabilitynext
as in responsibility
willingness or obligation to explain one's actions or to admit being the cause of a problem There is a push to increase accountability among government officials.

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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 accountability The bill extends current DHS funding levels for two weeks to allow talks over new accountability requirements for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other enforcement agencies. Eric Lau, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 The bill bars agents from using government immunity to avoid accountability. Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026 When people know there is a system, there is accountability. Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026 In recent years, the state of Maryland and the city of Baltimore — where crime is at a historic low — have taken steps to improve police legitimacy and accountability. Aubrey Jackson Soller, Baltimore Sun, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accountability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accountability
responsibility
Noun
  • If not, now's your chance to grab a calendar and pencil in some time to reconnect as a couple, plan a girls or guys trip, or just escape for a bit from the daily grind of child-rearing and work responsibilities.
    Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Sachs has said shovels shouldn’t go into the ground until proper infrastructure is in place, which has generated a debate about whether developers have the responsibility to consider sufficient infrastructure before building.
    Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Accountability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accountability. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.

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