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.
Reading even a few paragraphs about the testimony at these two NYC trials isn’t for the fainthearted, and men and women recognize that there are some very bad actors who must be held accountable for their actions. Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Finally, with homicides soaring to record levels, exasperated authorities pivoted to a novel strategy: Mexico filed a $10-billion suit in U.S. federal court seeking to have Smith & Wesson and other signature manufacturers held accountable for the country’s epidemic of shooting deaths. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025 The Trump Administration will continue to hold criminals accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Dan Gooding hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025 The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday in favor of U.S. gun manufacturers and blocked a liability lawsuit brought by the government of Mexico, which sought to hold the companies accountable for the trafficking of their weapons south of the border to fuel violence by the cartels. Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 5 June 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Accountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountable. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!