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
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
Building a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility—and where it’s embedded in your onboarding, daily operations, and leadership decisions—creates the kind of trust that can’t be faked.
—Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Now the decision of whether or not to contact Anne was merely a type of responsibility, an intrusion.
—Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
Solanke became Lavia’s responsibility, but the Belgian allowed the Cobham graduate to get away from him.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The financial report review responsibilities of Civil Code 5500 were quarterly until 2019, when the law changed to increase that review to monthly.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
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Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Now the decision of whether or not to contact Anne was merely a type of responsibility, an intrusion.
—Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
Solanke became Lavia’s responsibility, but the Belgian allowed the Cobham graduate to get away from him.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The financial report review responsibilities of Civil Code 5500 were quarterly until 2019, when the law changed to increase that review to monthly.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 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 13 May. 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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