responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible: such as
a
: moral, legal, or mental accountability
take/accept/claim responsibility for the incident
b
: reliability, trustworthiness
She is completely lacking in responsibility.
The students learned a sense of responsibility with the project.
2
: something for which one is responsible : burden
has neglected his responsibilities
Examples of responsibility in a Sentence
… Landau's piece, examining the fan's, and the journalist's responsibility to rock stars …
—
Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971
A great soprano has a responsibility to her public …
—Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970
The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T …
—John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954
Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society.
—John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947
The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence.
A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
The janitor has many responsibilities.
Mowing the lawn is your responsibility.
She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities.
It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave.
In her new position, she will have much more responsibility.
We have a responsibility to protect the environment.
The government's responsibility is to serve the public.
The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35.
Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971
A great soprano has a responsibility to her public …
—Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970
The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T …
—John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954
Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society.
—John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947
The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence.
A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
The janitor has many responsibilities.
Mowing the lawn is your responsibility.
She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities.
It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave.
In her new position, she will have much more responsibility.
We have a responsibility to protect the environment.
The government's responsibility is to serve the public.
The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35.
Recent Examples on the Web
Glover speaks about the responsibility of being an employer, of keeping British manufacturing alive when the economics rarely stack up, and of honoring a lineage while running a viable modern company.
—Kirsty McGregor, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Despite perceptions that employees may be afraid of Germanavicius due to his high standards, Preikšaitis affirmed that those who stay are deeply motivated by this environment of trust and responsibility.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
Belgium, the home of Euroclear, one of the continent’s chief securities depositories, is wary of taking on the sole legal responsibility for the maneuver.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
Familial responsibility and family legacy.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
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Kirsty McGregor, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Despite perceptions that employees may be afraid of Germanavicius due to his high standards, Preikšaitis affirmed that those who stay are deeply motivated by this environment of trust and responsibility.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
Belgium, the home of Euroclear, one of the continent’s chief securities depositories, is wary of taking on the sole legal responsibility for the maneuver.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
Familial responsibility and family legacy.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
Cite this Entry
“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsibility. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible
2
: the quality of being dependable
3
: something for which one is responsible
neglected his responsibilities
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