accountable
/əˈkaʊn.tə.bəl/Required to explain your actions and accept consequences for the results. An accountable person cannot blame others when something goes wrong. This word is especially common in business and professional settings.
- The manager was held accountable for the team's poor results.
- Leaders must be accountable to the people they serve.
- She took full accountability and apologized to the client.
Adinary Nuance
Accountable and responsible are often used together, but they mean different things. "Responsible" describes who owns a task — someone is responsible for doing the work. "Accountable" goes further: it means someone must face the outcome and cannot pass the blame — you are accountable to a person or group. In business, you can delegate responsibility to a team member while you remain accountable to your boss. Answerable is a near-synonym but feels more formal or legal ("answerable to the court"), while liable specifically implies a financial or legal penalty — it is stronger and narrower than accountable.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chịu trách nhiệm
- Spanish
- responsable
- Chinese
- 负责任
- Japanese
- 責任がある
- Korean
- 책임
Etymology
From Old French "aconte" (meaning "account") plus the Latin-derived suffix "-able," entering English around the 14th century. It originally meant "liable to be called to give an account," and the business sense has remained strong ever since.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 'accountable' and 'responsible'?
- 'Responsible' means you have a duty to do something. 'Accountable' means you must accept the consequences if it goes wrong. In many workplaces, you can give responsibility to a team member but still remain accountable to your manager for the final outcome.
- Is 'accountable' a formal word?
- It is moderately formal. It is very common in business emails, corporate reports, and news articles. In everyday casual conversation, people more often say 'responsible' or 'to blame,' but 'accountable' is not stiff or unusual.
- Can I say someone is 'accountable for' and 'accountable to' — which is correct?
- Both are correct but mean different things. 'Accountable for' refers to what you must answer for (e.g., 'accountable for the decision'). 'Accountable to' refers to who you must answer to (e.g., 'accountable to the board'). You can use both in one sentence: 'She is accountable to the director for the project's results.'
- How is 'accountable' different from 'liable'?
- 'Liable' is stronger and more specific — it usually involves a legal or financial penalty. 'Accountable' is broader: it means you must explain yourself and own the outcome, but it does not automatically imply a lawsuit or fine.