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
Hackers aligned with Iran have claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on President Trump’s Truth Social platform, according to the cyber nonprofit Center for Internet Security (CIS).
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 23 June 2025
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba suggested ISIS as a likely culprit following a preliminary investigation.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
The story Willy himself told was about his loss of interest in his career when weighed against the responsibilities of fatherhood.
—Benjamin Hale
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
That's largely the responsibility of 32-year-old, 11-year veteran Max Kepler, who has played 64 of Philadelphia's 78 games in left and compiled a .691 OPS with nine home runs and an anemic .211 batting average.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Julia Shapero, The Hill, 23 June 2025
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba suggested ISIS as a likely culprit following a preliminary investigation.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
The story Willy himself told was about his loss of interest in his career when weighed against the responsibilities of fatherhood.
—Benjamin Hale
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
That's largely the responsibility of 32-year-old, 11-year veteran Max Kepler, who has played 64 of Philadelphia's 78 games in left and compiled a .691 OPS with nine home runs and an anemic .211 batting average.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for responsibility
Cite this Entry
“Responsibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsibility. Accessed 4 Jul. 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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