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a responsible adult
a dependable adult
a reliable adult
a trustworthy adult
an accountable adult
responsible decisions
careful decisions
mature decisions
appropriate decisions
thoughtful decisions
proactive decisions
a responsible government
a capable government
a competent government
a vigilant government
a prudent government
a resourceful government
responsible behavior
reliable behavior
righteous behavior
dependable behavior
mature behavior
accountable behavior

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective responsible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of responsible are accountable, amenable, answerable, and liable. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

When could accountable be used to replace responsible?

The words accountable and responsible are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.

elected officials are accountable to the voters

How do amenable and liable relate to one another, in the sense of responsible?

Both 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

When is it sensible to use answerable instead of responsible?

The synonyms answerable and responsible are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Example 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 responsible His public defender suggested last week that a scammer could be responsible for the bomb threat, alleging that Branham had previously been scammed by people posing as Johansson online, according to E! Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025 Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images The international shipping sector, which is responsible for the carriage of around 90% of global trade, is regarded as one of the hardest industries to decarbonize given the vast amounts of fossil fuels the ships burn each year. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025 Trump also signed an executive order on March 20, ordering the secretary of education to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, which is responsible for administering federal grants to school districts like CMS. Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2025 The senior vice president is responsible for, and oversees, all activities under the California State Compensation Insurance Fund’s Safety and Health Services program. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for responsible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for responsible
Adjective
  • These rules establish that an executor who makes distributions from the estate before satisfying estate tax liability may become personally liable for the unpaid estate tax.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Spacey has denied any allegations of improper or criminal behavior and in 2022, he was found not liable for battery against actor Anthony Rapp. CNN has reached out to representatives for Spacey and Netflix for comment about the new video.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • When the Cubs have a lead, Counsell goes to a reliable late-game formula with relievers Julian Merryweather, Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly.
    Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable analyst at TFI Securities, has predicted Touch ID to make a return on the iPhone Fold.
    Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Be aware that sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe alternatives.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Refusal to act Realistically, Zuckerberg isn’t going to dive into making Instagram safer for teenagers.
    Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Francis hailed as 'true advocate for peace' In 2019, Francis became the first pontiff to set foot on the peninsula where Islam was born.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • But against the Cavaliers, against the length of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Ware stands essential, on a Heat roster that lacks a true backup center.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Shorts are the only categories whose winners are ineligible for best picture, acting, screenplay or any other major Oscar, due to their length.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • After a week full of monstrous swings, the S&P 500 posted its best weekly performance since November 23, while the Nasdaq saw its best week since November 2022, according to the financial data firm FactSet.
    Anne Marie Drummond Lee, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s a steady, and still declining, drop compared to previous years (49 in 2023, 51 in 2022, and 61 in 2021).
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In fact, Britain’s Ministry of Defence, in common with other analysts, assesses Russia’s rate of advance to have been in steady decline for six months, from about 730 square kilometers captured in November last year to just 143 last month.
    Andrew Carey and Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/responsible. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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