responsibility

noun

re·​spon·​si·​bil·​i·​ty ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce responsibility (audio)
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible: such as
a
: moral, legal, or mental accountability
2
: something for which one is responsible : burden
has neglected his responsibilities

Examples of responsibility in a Sentence

… Landau's piece, examining the fan's, and the journalist's responsibility to rock stars … Lawrence Dietz, Los Angeles Times Book Review, 23 May 1971
A great soprano has a responsibility to her public … Robert Evett, Atlantic, September 1970
The responsibility for engineering the line of cars which in 1908 evolved the immortal Model T … John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review, 28 Feb. 1954
Anthony Burton had once said that this was your responsibility toward society. John P. Marquand, Atlantic, Nov. 1947
The boys denied any responsibility for the damage to the fence. A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. The janitor has many responsibilities. Mowing the lawn is your responsibility. She has to deal with a lot of family and work responsibilities. It is your responsibility to give the company two weeks notice if you decide to leave. In her new position, she will have much more responsibility. We have a responsibility to protect the environment. The government's responsibility is to serve the public. The principal has responsibility for 450 students and a staff of 35.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sanctions threat came as Trump faces criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while playing down or even denying Russia’s responsibility for starting the war with its invasion three years ago. Aamer Madhani and Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025 After Congress passed the No Surprises Act in 2020, the office assumed additional responsibility for setting up and administering the complex process for protecting patients from surprise bills. Noam N. Levey, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 An intermediate group has ultimate responsibility for managing the shelter and hires KC Pet Project to run it. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2025 In relative terms regarding the size of the population, it's shrunk a lot — and the responsibilities of our government have increased. Bill Chappell, NPR, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for responsibility

Word History

Etymology

see responsible

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of responsibility was in 1642

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsibility. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

responsibility

noun
re·​spon·​si·​bil·​i·​ty ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce responsibility (audio)
plural responsibilities
1
: the quality or state of being responsible
2
: the quality of being dependable
3
: something for which one is responsible
neglected his responsibilities

More from Merriam-Webster on responsibility

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