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Synonyms

responsibility

American  
[ri-spon-suh-bil-i-tee] / rɪˌspɒn səˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

responsibilities

  1. the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management.

    Synonyms:
    accountability, answerability

  2. an instance of being responsible.

    The responsibility for this mess is yours!

  3. a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible.

    the responsibilities of authority.

  4. a person or thing for which one is responsible.

    A child is a responsibility to their parents.

  5. reliability or dependability, especially in meeting debts or payments.

idioms

  1. on one's own responsibility, on one's own initiative or authority.

    He changed the order on his own responsibility.
responsibility British  
/ rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the state or position of being responsible

  2. a person or thing for which one is responsible

  3. the ability or authority to act or decide on one's own, without supervision

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonresponsibility noun
  • preresponsibility noun
  • self-responsibility noun
  • superresponsibility noun

Etymology

Origin of responsibility

First recorded in 1780–90; respons(ible) + -ibility

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The British-Gambian musician said he spent a lot of his time in jail writing, adding that while he was physically imprisoned, his mind remained free, describing freedom as a "responsibility".

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The resulting fallout isn’t Europe’s responsibility, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The show and its team now fall under the responsibility of OpenAI's public affairs chief Chris Lehane, a veteran Washington lobbyist who made his name handling scandals for the Clinton administration.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Without shirking responsibility, the 52-year-old explained that her judgment had been clouded in part by other circumstances in her life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

No Mother howling about my responsibility to the pack.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.