Synonyms of accountable

accountable

adjective

ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl 

as in responsible

being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so

the owner was held accountable for his dog's biting of the child

Synonyms & Similar Words

• responsible
• liable
• answerable
• amenable
• indebted
• obligated
• beholden
• obliged

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• irresponsible
• unaccountable
• exempt
• immune
• nonaccountable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective accountable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of accountable are amenable, answerable, liable, and responsible. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.

elected officials are accountable to the voters

How do amenable and liable relate to one another, in the sense of accountable?

Both amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions.

laws are amenable to judicial review

not liable for the debts of the former spouse

When is answerable a more appropriate choice than accountable?

While in some cases nearly identical to accountable, answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance.

an intelligence agency answerable to Congress

When would responsible be a good substitute for accountable?

The words responsible and accountable can be used in similar contexts, but responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of accountable

Like the Lines family’s lawsuit, Dean’s argues that that the county was well aware of problems with medical and mental health care in its jails, yet county leaders have failed to implement meaningful reforms or hold employees accountable. —Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

And with regard to domestic law, there is a way to hold Presidents accountable for the uses of force overseas. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026

In its statement, the ministry added that any organization or individual from any country that violated the export restrictions would be held legally accountable. —John Liu, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026

As the founder of a nonprofit called Defiende Venezuela, Davila has worked to hold Maduro accountable under international law. —Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026