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

While CISOs would bear the ultimate accountability and budget ownership, there would typically be a senior manager or director-level person running daily operations. — Evgeny Gervis, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

The support Kelly still has illustrates just how high the threshold for true accountability and justice really is. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Several lawmakers are calling for an entire reform of the governance structure of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents, saying the system is broken, bureaucratic and lacks accountability. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

If teachers unions put as much effort into improving test scores as dodging accountability, students in New York’s public schools would have markedly better chances for success in life. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

accountable + -ity

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above