Dictionary

responsibility en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ɹɪˌspɔn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/ (Australia)
• rĭ-spŏn'sə-bĭlʹĭ-tē (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ɹɪˌspɔn.səˈbɪl.ə.ɾi] (Australia)
• [ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ə.ɾi] (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• [ɹɪˌspɑn.səˈbɪl.ə.ɾi] (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• [ɹəˌspɔ̟n.səˈbəl.ə.ɾi] (New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɹɪˌspɑn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ɹəˌspɒn.səˈbəl.ə.ti/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From responsible + -ity. Although the components are of French origin, the compound appears to have been formed in English. Later-attested French responsabilité is modeled on the English word, and Italian responsabilità is in turn modeled on the French.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable.
   • Responsibility is a heavy burden.
   • If parents, teachers, and ministers conducted their responsibilities by following the ratings, children would have a steady diet of ice cream, school holidays, and no Sunday school. 1961 May 9, Newton N. Minow, Television and the Public Interest:
2. (countable, uncountable) The state of being liable, culpable, or responsible for something in particular.
   • After all, it is undeniable that the B.R. standard coach scored highly in comparative trials with other European railway vehicles on the Continent a few years ago, so that B.R. civil engineers must share responsibility for any defects in its behaviour over here. 1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The riding of B.R. coaches”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 705–706:
   • The vast majority of American Jews not only greatly dislike President Trump but also believe he has made them less safe: according to a May 2019 poll, nearly three-quarters of Jewish voters believe American Jews are less secure under Trump than they were before, 71 percent disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, and nearly 60 percent believe that he bears at least some responsibility for the synagogue shootings carried out by white nationalists in Pittsburgh and Poway. 2020 March, Joshua Leifer, “Led Astray”, in The Baffler, number 50:
3. (countable, uncountable) A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.
   • The responsibility of the great states is to serve and not to dominate the world 1945 April 12, Harry S. Truman, Address before a Joint Session of the Congress:
   • The movie clearly and unmistakably gives us a character who understands the Bill of Rights, understands his legal responsibility as a police officer, and nevertheless takes retribution into his own hands. 1971, Roger Ebert, “Dirty Harry”, in Chicago Sun-Times:
   • Why didn't you clean the house? That was your responsibility!
4. (countable, uncountable) A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable. ▸ The obligation to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion.
5. (countable, uncountable) A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable. ▸ The obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to someone’s possession or supervision.

Forms

Deriveds

social responsibility · take responsibility · diminished responsibility · nonresponsibility · interresponsibility · single responsibility principle · command responsibility · corporate social responsibility · irresponsibility · co-responsibility · age of criminal responsibility · chain-of-responsibility pattern

Relateds

accountability · respond

Synonyms

place · place · charge · responsibleness · place · charge · charge · guilt

Translations (166)

ja 責任 (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ar مَسْؤُولِيَّة (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ur مَسْئُولِیَّت (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sv ansvar (the state of being responsible) · be адка́знасць (the state of being responsible) · vi trách nhiệm (the state of being responsible) · pt responsabilidade (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · de Verantwortung (the state of being responsible) · eo respondeco (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · th หน้าที่ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · lv atbildība (the state of being responsible) · ko 책임 (the state of being responsible) · ba яуаплылыҡ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ky жоопкерчилик (the state of being responsible) · bg отгово́рност (the state of being responsible) · nl verantwoordelijkheid (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ml ഉത്തരവാദിത്വം (the state of being responsible) · kmr mesûliyet (the state of being responsible) · id tanggung jawab (the state of being responsible) · nl verantwoordelijkheid (the state of being responsible) · ro responsabilitate (the state of being responsible) · tl pananagutan (the state of being responsible) · ca responsabilitat (the state of being responsible) · kmr berpirsî (the state of being responsible) · lo ຄວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບ (the state of being responsible) · kmr berpisiyarî (the state of being responsible) · uz masʼuliyat (the state of being responsible) · de Verantwortlichkeit (the state of being responsible) · et vastutus (the state of being responsible) · hu felelősség (the state of being responsible) · ota اصر (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ast responsabilidá (the state of being responsible) · cs zodpovědnost (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · hu kötelesség (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · el υποχρέωση (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · de Verantwortung (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ja 責任 (the state of being responsible) · da ansvar (the state of being responsible) · aii ܡܸܬܬܓ݂ܝܼܒ݂ܵܢܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · pl odpowiedzialność (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sw madaraka (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · mi haepapa (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · cs odpovědnost (the state of being responsible) · hi उत्तरदायित्व (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · cy cyfrifoldeb (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · es responsabilidad (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · fr responsabilité (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · hy պատասխանատվություն (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · bn দায়িত্ব (the state of being responsible) · ug جاۋابكارلىق (the state of being responsible) · ota مسئولیت (the state of being responsible) · pl odpowiedzialność (the state of being responsible) · th ความรับผิดชอบ (the state of being responsible) · tr mesuliyet (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · el υπευθυνότητα (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ko 책임 (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · es responsabilidad (the state of being responsible) · mn ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠭᠤᠴᠠᠯᠭ᠎ᠠ (the state of being responsible) · cmn 責任 /责任 (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · uk відповіда́льність (the state of being responsible) · tg масъулият (the state of being responsible) · tr sorumluluk (the state of being responsible) · kk жауапкершілік (the state of being responsible) · hi दायित्व (the state of being responsible) · tl kapanagutan (the state of being responsible) · ba яуаплылыҡ (the state of being responsible) · lo ໜ້າທີ່ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · tr mesuliyet (the state of being responsible) · mk одговорност (the state of being responsible) · hi ज़िम्मेदारी (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · el ευθύνη (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ia responsabilitate (the state of being responsible) · oc responsabilitat (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · id tanggung jawab (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sw daraka (the state of being responsible) · az məsuliyyət (the state of being responsible) · ga freagracht (the state of being responsible) · gl responsabilidade (the state of being responsible) · fa-ira مَسْئولِیَّت (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · is ábyrgð (the state of being responsible) · tl responsabilidad (the state of being responsible) · cmn 責任 /责任 (the state of being responsible) · hi दायित्व (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sh одгово́рно̄ст (the state of being responsible) · ceb katungdanan (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · km ការគួរ (the state of being responsible) · uk обов'я́зок (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · hu kötelezettség (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · uz javobgarlik (the state of being responsible) · ast responsabilidá (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · mi takohanga (the state of being responsible) · el ευθύνη (the state of being responsible) · de Pflicht (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · bn কাজ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ps مسؤليت (the state of being responsible) · ar مَسْؤُولِيَّة (the state of being responsible) · fr responsabilité (the state of being responsible) · nb ansvar (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · shn ပုၼ်ႈၽွၼ်း (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · gl responsabilidade (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · fa-ira مَسْئولِیَّت (the state of being responsible) · eo respondeco (the state of being responsible) · ca responsabilitat (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ur ذِمِّیداری (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · tk jogapkärçilik (the state of being responsible) · ms tanggungjawab (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · my တာဝန် (the state of being responsible) · aii ܡܸܫܬܲܐܠܵܢܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · cs odpovědnost (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sl odgovornost (the state of being responsible) · oc responsabilitat (the state of being responsible) · bn দায়িত্ব (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · hy պատասխանատվություն (the state of being responsible) · ug مەسئۇلىيەت (the state of being responsible) · km ការទទួលខុសត្រូវ (the state of being responsible) · he אַחֲרָיוּת (the state of being responsible) · tr sorumluluk (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · mi takohanga (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ga milleán (the state of being responsible) · tl kapanagutan (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ka პასუხისმგებლობა (the state of being responsible) · hi ज़िम्मेदारी (the state of being responsible) · fo ábyrgd (the state of being responsible) · aii ܡܸܬܬܓ݂ܝܼܒ݂ܵܢܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ (the state of being responsible) · sh odgovórnōst (the state of being responsible) · ru обя́занность (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · az cavabdehlik (the state of being responsible) · eu erantzukizun (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · it responsabilità (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ckb بارکێشان (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ia responsabilitate (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · fi vastuu (the state of being responsible) · aii ܡܸܫܬܲܐܠܵܢܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ (the state of being responsible) · te బాధ్యత (the state of being responsible) · yue 責任 /责任 (the state of being responsible) · it responsabilità (the state of being responsible) · fi velvollisuus (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · be абавя́зак (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ur ذِمِّیداری (the state of being responsible) · ru отве́тственность (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sv ansvar (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sw jukumu (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · eu erantzukizun (the state of being responsible) · st boikarabelo (the state of being responsible) · ps مسوولیت (the state of being responsible) · mn хариуцлага (the state of being responsible) · ru отве́тственность (the state of being responsible) · pdt Flicht (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ms tanggungjawab (the state of being responsible) · ga freagracht (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · pt responsabilidade (the state of being responsible) · hu dolog (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · da ansvar (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ur مَسْئُولِیَّت (the state of being responsible) · ckb بارکێشان (the state of being responsible) · sw majukumu (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · xh uxanduva (the state of being responsible) · te బాధ్యత (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · hi उत्तरदायित्व (the state of being responsible) · bg задълже́ние (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · ceb responsibilidad (the state of being responsible) · lt atsakomybė (the state of being responsible) · hu feladat (a duty, obligation or liability for which someone is responsible) · sk zodpovednosť (the state of being responsible) · sq përgjegjësi (the state of being responsible) · nb ansvar (the state of being responsible)