Word
accountable
Meanings
required to explain actions or decisions and accept responsibility for the results
answerable to a person or organization with authority over you
Definition
Required to explain your actions and accept responsibility for their results.
If you are accountable, you must be able to justify what you did and face the consequences if something goes wrong. It often refers to responsibilities at work, in government, or within a team. Being accountable usually includes reporting to someone and being evaluated on outcomes.
Examples
- As the lead editor, I’m accountable for the final version that goes to print.
- You’ll be accountable to the committee for how the budget is allocated across departments.
- She remained accountable for the decision, even after the team changed direction.
- They held each other accountable by tracking commitments after every sprint review.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "accountable" with "responsible" and forget that "accountable" usually implies being answerable to someone and having to explain outcomes.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
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- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.