Definition of answerablenext
1
as in responsible
being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so you are answerable for your own conduct at all times

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective answerable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of answerable are accountable, amenable, liable, and responsible. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," 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

Where would accountable be a reasonable alternative to answerable?

The synonyms accountable and answerable are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 answerable?

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 can responsible be used instead of answerable?

The meanings of responsible and answerable largely overlap; however, responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

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 answerable Chris Jackson / Getty Images And he will also have been given guidance on his fellow prince, who unlike William is not part of a constitutional monarchy answerable to lawmakers and open to criticism from an often boisterous free press. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026 Liberal democracy requires that state power be limited, accountable, and answerable to law; that due process be sacrosanct; that enforcement remain proportional and transparent; and that when things go wrong, authorities are subject to credible review. Emily Chamlee-Wright, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026 Some thinkers doubt that the question is even answerable, while others think the theory is impossible – like a 2025 paper arguing that no purely algorithmic system can explain the universe. Rizwan Virk, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2025 Also, sources familiar with Madrid’s internal discussions say that the current hierarchy wants to ensure that decisions such as hiring or firing the coach and player transfers would always be made by the board, which is ultimately answerable to the socios. Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for answerable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for answerable
Adjective
  • Testosterone is responsible for muscle mass, bone density, libido, mood, energy — all essential to a man’s function.
    Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • The jurors — some of whom have loved ones who were affected by the Palisades fire — are now left to decide whether Rinderknecht is responsible for the deadly blaze.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • For Manus, the problem at the heart of Beijing’s objection may not be resolvable, Hendrichs added.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 June 2026
  • But one of the challenges here is that some of these crises are not immediately resolvable.
    NBC news, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Samsung had previously been found liable in a similar trademark case in 2022, also filed in London, involving third-party apps on its smartwatches.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 June 2026
  • In Raney’s view, if the AI misses important context in a bodycam video that could clear someone of wrongdoing, and an officer fails to review it, their department could be held liable.
    Noah Daly June 26, Idaho Statesman, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • That’s not feasible in a 48-team World Cup.
    Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • However, that is changing thanks to advances in launchers and robotics that make a rescue mission feasible.
    David Szondy June 18, New Atlas, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • The pressure to produce explainable answers will outpace the pressure to produce smarter answers in every domain where the answer has consequences.
    Anna Meadows, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • Regulatory bodies increasingly expect documentation that demonstrates validation testing, bias mitigation protocols, and explainable outputs.
    Ethan Stone June 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • Chia pudding can support steady blood sugar thanks to its soluble fiber and healthy fats.
    Caitlin Beale, Health, 18 June 2026
  • Flaxseed Flaxseeds are rich in soluble fiber.
    Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 16 June 2026
Adjective
  • That’s the only explicable reason for Australians to be riled up by comments from a guy most American fans can’t pick out of a lineup, whose most productive season came for a club literally named the Rough Riders.
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • Throughout its 17 years, bitcoin has been defined by cycles—booms and busts that are sometimes explicable and sometimes not.
    Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The good news is that this is a solvable problem.
    C200, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • Rotaku, a startup from the San Francisco Bay Area, thinks that's a solvable engineering problem and made its first move to change that.
    Omar Kardoudi May 26, New Atlas, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Answerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/answerable. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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