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as in responsible
being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so the owner of a pet is liable for any damage that that pet might do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective liable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of liable are exposed, open, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

When is it sensible to use exposed instead of liable?

The words exposed and liable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

In what contexts can open take the place of liable?

While the synonyms open and liable are close in meaning, open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

When might prone be a better fit than liable?

The meanings of prone and liable largely overlap; however, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

When would sensitive be a good substitute for liable?

While in some cases nearly identical to liable, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

When is subject a more appropriate choice than liable?

In some situations, the words subject and liable are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

When could susceptible be used to replace liable?

The synonyms susceptible and liable are sometimes interchangeable, but susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of liable Soto and Judge covered all of the holes in the Yankees’ lineup, which in its current construction are liable to reach 2023 levels of overall production. Tyler Small, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 After finding Trump liable for fraud and holding a bench trial to determine penalties, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron in February ordered Trump to pay more than $450 million in fines and interest. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024 The jury was still out Thursday on whether Daniel Penny should be held criminally liable for fatally choking Jordan Neely on a subway car in Manhattan in May 2023. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024 In April, Do Kwon, founder of the company behind Terra Luna, was found liable for defrauding investors by a civil jury in the US. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for liable 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for liable
Adjective
  • Kreskin acknowledged to radio personality Art Bell that his prediction was a hoax, a way of proving that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the year before had made people susceptible to manipulation.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Indeed, teen drivers are especially susceptible to getting into crashes resulting from distracted driving.
    Ed Garsten, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Before founding Hungry Jack’s, Cowin was responsible for bringing Kentucky Fried Chicken to Australia in 1969.
    Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
  • And then there’s Cousins, who is responsible for most of those turnovers.
    Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Additionally, many rare species are understudied, or not even discovered, and might be especially vulnerable in ways that don't show up in this analysis.
    Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that's difficult to detect.
    HALELUYA HADERO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Amphibians, including frogs and salamanders, are more vulnerable, Urban found, perhaps because their habitats are more sensitive to environmental changes.
    Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Hot sauce: This won't make the final dish hot, but if anyone is sensitive, it can be skipped.
    Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • White rice is more effective because its starches are more exposed, maximizing absorption.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024
  • This one has drop shoulders with exposed seams, a ribbed collar, and slouchy silhouette that looks perfect over everything from skinny jeans to wide-leg pants.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • If your hair is in recovery mode—brittle, dull, prone to split ends, and in general need of some TLC—the best products for hair breakage are here to deliver relief.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 17 Dec. 2024
  • So the researchers look at this random, unrelated environmental factor to having ADHD — the fact the doctor is seeing these kids on Halloween — to get a sense of just how subjective and prone to error these decisions are.
    Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near liable

Cite this Entry

“Liable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/liable. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on liable

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