accountability

noun

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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 Close has the requisite humility and accountability to succeed. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026 Thiago Coelho, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said his clients will continue seeking accountability for deceptive marketing. — Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2026 In addition to the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, or IAR, the Illinois Report Card also includes data from the ACT, an accountability assessment given to high school juniors (11th graders). — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026 The framework only works if the signals lead to accountability. — Allison Mais, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accountability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accountability
responsibility
Noun
  • Such a division of responsibilities could allow Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to concentrate on demanding tasks such as area air defence, missile defence and long-range strike operations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Those of us in public office and those with media platforms have a responsibility to challenge this prejudice, not legitimize it.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of responsibility

Browse Nearby Words

account
accountability
accountable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Accountability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accountability. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on accountability

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about accountability

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of satiate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 SCRABBLE Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All