on the hook for
idiom
US, informal
: owing money for (something) : responsible for (something)
He's still on the hook for the cost of the repairs.
Examples of on the hook for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But approving any such proposal would require the votes of Chicago lawmakers, many of whom oppose helping the Bears leave the team’s namesake city with taxpayers still on the hook for more than $500 million in debt from the Soldier Field renovation completed two decades ago.
—
Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Which means Google is on the hook for precisely zero dollars — though any contribution at all is subject to the company’s goodwill.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
For example, the average middle-income 60-year-old earning almost $63,000 a year is no longer eligible for ACA subsidies, and is on the hook for the full, unsubsidized insurance premium in 2026 — about $15,000, according to a KFF analysis.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
Durbin's office said the reservoir has provided about $660 million in flood reduction benefits for 14 communities, but the Army Corps is still on the hook for $200 million in reimbursements.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
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Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Which means Google is on the hook for precisely zero dollars — though any contribution at all is subject to the company’s goodwill.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
For example, the average middle-income 60-year-old earning almost $63,000 a year is no longer eligible for ACA subsidies, and is on the hook for the full, unsubsidized insurance premium in 2026 — about $15,000, according to a KFF analysis.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
Durbin's office said the reservoir has provided about $660 million in flood reduction benefits for 14 communities, but the Army Corps is still on the hook for $200 million in reimbursements.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the hook for
Cite this Entry
“On the hook for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20hook%20for. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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