accountability

noun

ac·​count·​abil·​i·​ty ə-ˌkau̇n-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being accountable

… the CFO has ultimate accountability for maintaining the books and records of the company …

—The Motley Fool

especially : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions

demanded more accountability from public officials

The … quarterback did take accountability for his play … recognizing it as an error that can't happen at this level.

—Steven Corder

Examples of accountability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Clear guardrails around validation, accountability and critical thinking allow people to learn while taking ownership. — Neda Nia, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Government bodies should have more power to oversee this industry and accountability to the people most affected by its failures. — Susana Mendoza, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Organizers said the goal is to create a public record of how enforcement has affected families, schools, businesses and communities, and eventually use those accounts to push for government oversight and accountability. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026

And that difficulty with accountability operates at every level of the data center tech stack. — Petala Ironcloud, ArsTechnica, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

accountable + -ity

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above