adjective
responsible
Being the cause of something.
A broken seal is responsible for the leak.
Etymology
The word developed around being answerable for an outcome. Its causal sense identifies what brings the outcome about, even when no moral accountability is involved.
More examples
- The storm was responsible for most of the damage.
- Investigators identified the part responsible for the failure.
- Poor planning was partly responsible for the delay.
Forms
responsible
Similar words
- causal
- A technical adjective identifying a cause rather than moral blame.