responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
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.
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
Transitioning from an individual team member to a leader requires adopting new responsibilities, cultivating relationships and guiding teams toward achieving organizational goals.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
The fires may be a natural disaster but responsibility for the way this catastrophe unfolded and caused unprecedented damage and suffering belongs to them.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Jan. 2025
Under Cooper’s plans, co-owners would have one week of exclusive use on the property each year, with a responsibility for covering 2% of the property’s total annual operating expenses.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Hitchcock’s point-of-view shots evoke characters looking at the world with yearning and horror, guilt and responsibility, and those are also the emotional underpinnings of Soderbergh’s movie.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for responsibility 
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Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
The fires may be a natural disaster but responsibility for the way this catastrophe unfolded and caused unprecedented damage and suffering belongs to them.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Jan. 2025
Under Cooper’s plans, co-owners would have one week of exclusive use on the property each year, with a responsibility for covering 2% of the property’s total annual operating expenses.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Hitchcock’s point-of-view shots evoke characters looking at the world with yearning and horror, guilt and responsibility, and those are also the emotional underpinnings of Soderbergh’s movie.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for responsibility
Dictionary Entries Near responsibility
Cite this Entry
“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsibility. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
responsibility
noun
re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
ri-ˌspän(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē
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
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