accountable

adjective

ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: subject to giving an account : answerable
held her accountable for the damage
2
: capable of being explained : explainable
… leaving aside variations accountable as printer's errors …Peter Shaw
accountableness noun
accountably adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for accountable

responsible, answerable, accountable, amenable, liable mean subject to being held to account.

responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance.

an intelligence agency answerable to Congress

accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.

elected officials are accountable to the voters

amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions.

laws are amenable to judicial review
not liable for the debts of the former spouse

Examples of accountable in a Sentence

If anything goes wrong I will hold you personally accountable! the owner was held accountable for his dog's biting of the child
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 Trump ally has vowed to hold media figures accountable through criminal or civil proceedings. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 Many in South Korea are now calling for Yoon to be held accountable. Chris Morris, Fortune Asia, 6 Dec. 2024 Carr vowed last month to hold CBS accountable for its editing of the 60 Minutes piece on Harris. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024 Traditionally, hotel management agreements, or HMAs, lead on financial performance, but hotel owners and operators increasingly use new, greener HMAs to hold each other accountable to ESG targets. Carlton Reid, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for accountable 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English accountable, accomptable, borrowed from Anglo-French acomptable, from acunter "to account entry 2" + -able -able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of accountable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near accountable

Cite this Entry

“Accountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountable. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

accountable

adjective
ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇nt-ə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: responsible for giving an account (as of one's acts)
will be held accountable
2
: capable of being accounted for : explainable
accountability
-ˌkau̇nt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
accountably adverb

Legal Definition

accountable

adjective
ac·​count·​able ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce accountable (audio)
1
: liable
accountable for the burglary
2
: obliged to accept responsibility
the bank accountable for payment of the check
accountability noun

More from Merriam-Webster on accountable

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