noun
responsibility
A duty to act or take care of something, or accountability for a result.
As team leader, Maya takes responsibility for keeping everyone informed.
Etymology
Responsible concerns being answerable for something. The noun names either the duty that requires action or the accountability attached to its outcome.
More examples
- Feeding the cat is your responsibility.
- The company accepts responsibility for the billing error.
- His new job comes with more responsibilities.
Forms
responsibility · responsibilities
responsible adjective — Expected to fulfill duties or accept accountability.
Similar words
- duty
- Emphasizes an expected task rather than accountability for results.
- obligation
- Emphasizes a requirement imposed by rules, promises, or circumstances.
- accountability
- Focuses on answering for actions and results, not assigned tasks.