Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective responsible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of responsible are accountable, amenable, answerable, and liable. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

When could accountable be used to replace responsible?

The words accountable and responsible are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 responsible?

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 it sensible to use answerable instead of responsible?

The synonyms answerable and responsible are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 responsible This guy might be single-handedly responsible for generations of people having an irrational fear of clowns. Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025 And the office responsible for moving nuclear weapons around the country remains funded until next week. The Npr Network, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025 The Dodgers have 13 total home runs, and NLCS MVP Shohei Ohtani is responsible for five of them. Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 Improved coordination on city development projects near schools can enhance safety and ensure responsible repurposing or redevelopment of vacant school buildings. Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for responsible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for responsible
Adjective
  • However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable.
    Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
  • In August, the company was found partially liable for a fatal 2019 crash in Florida and was ordered to pay a total of about $240 million in compensatory costs and punitive damages.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But one reliable occupant, Spirit Halloween, has called it home for years.
    Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Even with a tracker, a traditional collar remains a reliable option.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Prison guards have struggled to stay safe in the facility due to its outdated design.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • These safe haven laws allow parents to relinquish their parental rights within a time limit that differs state to state, according to the National Safe Haven Alliance.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In my experience, this is especially true in the lonely hours of the night while struggling with chronic pain.
    Joni Eareckson Tada, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • For most Galatasaray supporters, domestic titles were never the true measure of success; Europe was.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Non-perishable items or foods that last a long time in the fridge can be good options.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The baby, who initially made good progress after the surgery, died 20 days later.
    Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • After which radiolarians sink, producing a steady snowfall of delicate glasswork onto the ocean floor.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • With short-term interest rates declining, returns on Berkshire’s massive cash and Treasury portfolio are likely to come under pressure, limiting a source of steady income that has bolstered recent results.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/responsible. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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