liable

[ lahy-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. legally responsible:

   You are liable for the damage caused by your action.

   Synonyms: accountable, answerable

2. subject or susceptible:

   to be liable to heart disease.

3. likely or apt:

   He's liable to get angry.

liable

/ ˈlaɪəbəl /

adjective

1. legally obliged or responsible; answerable
2. susceptible or exposed; subject
3. probable, likely, or capable

   it's liable to happen soon

Usage Note

Liable is often interchangeable with likely in constructions with a following infinitive where the sense is that of probability: The Sox are liable (or likely ) to sweep the Series. Some usage guides, however, say that liable can be used only in contexts in which the outcome is undesirable: The picnic is liable to be spoiled by rain. This use occurs often in formal writing but not to the exclusion of use in contexts in which the outcome is desirable: The drop in unemployment is liable to stimulate the economy. Apt may also be used in place of liable or likely in all the foregoing examples. apt, likely.

Usage

The use of liable to to mean likely to was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable

Derived Forms

• ˈliableness, noun

Other Words From

• non·lia·ble adjective
• pre·lia·ble adjective
• un·lia·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of liable¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Anglo-French “to bind,” from Latin ligāre ) + -able

Word History and Origins

Origin of liable¹

C15: perhaps via Anglo-French, from Old French lier to bind, from Latin ligāre

Example Sentences

It said it had "launched a rapid review into the online sale of knives" and warned social media executives they would be held liable for advertising knives on their platforms.

From BBC

State officials at the time referred to Palm Springs’ actions as a “city-engineered holocaust,” but did not find the city criminally liable.

From Los Angeles Times

It concluded she would to "liable to repeat" the same behaviour if she returned to nursing.

From BBC

“People who are exposed to these ... are in big trouble and are liable to radiation sickness, liable to cancer down the road if they survive post-exposure.”

From Los Angeles Times

You won’t be held liable for not asking about peanut allergies before handing out packages of Snickers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• apt
• inclined
• prone
• sensitive
• susceptible
• vulnerable