answer to

Idioms

Explain or justify something to someone, as in If Mary doesn't help us finish this project, she'll have to answer to the boss. This expression was at first used mainly for replying to legal charges. [c. a.d. 950]

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.

When you talk about removal, what’s the answer to that question?

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

So here’s the real answer to “Why now?” from a victim’s statement that one of Heap’s survivors read in court.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The answer to keep feeding the AI beast: upgrade the power grid and incorporate renewable energy sources.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

In other words, the answer to the Colorado River's missing water mystery is not a single cause, but a chain reaction driven by a changing climate.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

He guessed that lots of kids who grew up with families that helped them be who they were knew the answer to this.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

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