Give the definition of the word responsible

1

a

: liable to be called on to answer

b(1)

: liable to be called to account as the primary cause, motive, or agent

a committee responsible for the job

(2)

: being the cause or explanation

mechanical defects were responsible for the accident

c

: liable to legal review or in case of fault to penalties

2

a

: able to answer for one’s conduct and obligations : trustworthy

b

: able to choose for oneself between right and wrong

3

: marked by or involving responsibility or accountability

responsible financial policies

4

: politically answerable

especially

: required to submit to the electorate if defeated by the legislature

used especially of the British cabinet

Synonyms

Choose the Right Synonym for responsible



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

Example Sentences

«If you all die of typhoid I won’t be responsible!» he snapped. «If you die of dullness, neither will I,» Helen echoed in her heart.


Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out, 1915


I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race. No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and, besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government.


Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery, 1900, 1901


He resumed our walk with me, passing his hand into my arm. «Then when AM I going back?» I wore, in turning it over, my most responsible air.


Henry James, The Turn of the Screw, 1898



She is a very responsible worker.



Is he responsible enough to have a car?

Recent Examples on the Web

Velcovsky, an instructor at the Prague Applied Arts University, is responsible for scouting and recruiting emerging talent.


Damon Johnstun, oregonlive, 10 Apr. 2023





Nick Maton, who finished 0-for-4, was responsible for four of the strikeouts.


Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2023





The group believes that Border Patrol agents were responsible for the destruction.


Kate Morrissey, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023





The Justice Department, at the Pentagon’s request, has launched an investigation of the leak and who is responsible for the intelligence breach.


Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2023





District officials agreed that Kluge could call students by their last name and would not be responsible for handing out orchestra clothing.


Kathleen Foody, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Apr. 2023





But the executive is responsible for more than just Air Jordan, as his influence and impact on the world of basketball and sports extend far beyond the court—and even into the courts.


William Goodman, Men’s Health, 8 Apr. 2023





This is because the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are responsible for digestion and metabolism.


Mary Shomon, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2023





The archdiocese, which does not have geographical boundaries, is responsible for the care of 1.8 million Catholics across the globe.


Adam Shaw, Fox News, 8 Apr. 2023



See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘responsible.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French responsable, from respuns — see response

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of responsible was
in 1643

Dictionary Entries Near responsible

Cite this Entry

“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsible. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on responsible

Last Updated:
11 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

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

Merriam-Webster unabridged

re·spon·si·ble

 (rĭ-spŏn′sə-bəl)

adj.

1.

a. Liable to be required to give account, as of one’s actions or of the discharge of a duty or trust: Who is responsible while their parents are away?

b. Required to render account; answerable: The cabinet is responsible to the parliament.

2. Involving important duties, the supervision of others, or the ability to make decisions with little supervision: a responsible position within the firm.

3. Being a source or cause: Viruses are responsible for many diseases.

4.

a. Able to make moral or rational decisions on one’s own and therefore answerable for one’s behavior: At what age does a person become responsible?

b. Able to be trusted or depended upon; trustworthy or reliable: a responsible art dealer.

5. Based on or characterized by good judgment or sound thinking: responsible journalism.


[Obsolete French, corresponding to, from Latin respōnsus, past participle of respondēre, to respond; see respond.]


re·spon′si·ble·ness n.

re·spon′si·bly adv.

Synonyms: responsible, answerable, liable, accountable, amenable
These adjectives share the meaning obliged to answer, as for one’s actions, to an authority that may impose a penalty for failure. Responsible often implies the satisfactory performance of duties or the trustworthy care for or disposition of possessions: «I am responsible for the ship’s safety» (Robert Louis Stevenson).
Answerable suggests a moral or legal responsibility subject to review by a higher authority: The court held the parents answerable for their minor child’s acts of vandalism. Liable refers to a legal obligation, as to pay damages: The builder is liable for the cost of delays. Accountable especially emphasizes giving an account of one’s discharge of a responsibility: «The liberal philosophy holds that enduring governments must be accountable to someone beside themselves» (Walter Lippmann).
Amenable implies being subject to the control of an authority and therefore the absence of complete autonomy: «There is no constitutional tribunal to which [the king] is amenable» (Alexander Hamilton). See Also Synonyms at reliable.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

responsible

(rɪˈspɒnsəbəl)

adj

1. (usually foll by: for) having control or authority (over)

2. (foll by: to) being accountable for one’s actions and decisions (to): to be responsible to one’s commanding officer.

3. (of a position, duty, etc) involving decision and accountability

4. (often foll by for) being the agent or cause (of some action): to be responsible for a mistake.

5. able to take rational decisions without supervision; accountable for one’s own actions: a responsible adult.

6. (Banking & Finance) able to meet financial obligations; of sound credit

[C16: from Latin rēsponsus, from rēspondēre to respond]

reˈsponsibleness n

reˈsponsibly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

re•spon•si•ble

(rɪˈspɒn sə bəl)

adj.

1. accountable, as for something within one’s power.

2. involving responsibility: a responsible position.

3. chargeable with being the source or occasion of something (usu. fol. by for).

4. having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable: a defendant not responsible for his actions.

5. able to discharge obligations or pay debts.

6. reliable or dependable, as in conducting one’s affairs.

[1590–1600; < Latin respōns(us) (see response) + -ible]

re•spon′si•bly, adv.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

responsible

1. ‘responsible for’

If you are responsible for doing something, it is your job or duty to do it.

The children were responsible for cleaning their own rooms.

Be Careful!
Don’t say that someone is ‘responsible to do‘ something.

If you are responsible for something bad that has happened, it is your fault.

They were charged with being responsible for the death of two policemen.

Be Careful!
Don’t use any preposition except for after responsible in a sentence like this.

2. used after a noun

Responsible can also be used after a noun. If you talk about ‘the person responsible‘, you mean ‘the person who is responsible for what has happened’.

I hope they police find the man responsible.

The company responsible refused to say what happened.

3. used in front of a noun

However, if you use responsible in front of a noun, it has a completely different meaning. A responsible person is someone who can be trusted to behave properly and sensibly.

Responsible adults wouldn’t leave poisons lying around for their children to play with.

Responsible behaviour is sensible and correct.

I thought it was a very responsible decision.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj. 1. responsible — worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable; «a responsible adult»; «responsible journalism»; «a responsible position»; «the captain is responsible for the ship’s safety»; «the cabinet is responsible to the parliament»

obligated — caused by law or conscience to follow a certain course; «felt obligated to repay the kindness»; «was obligated to pay off the student loan»

prudent — careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment; «a prudent manager»; «prudent rulers»; «prudent hesitation»; «more prudent to hide than to fight»

trustworthy, trusty — worthy of trust or belief; «a trustworthy report»; «an experienced and trustworthy traveling companion»

irresponsible — showing lack of care for consequences; «behaved like an irresponsible idiot»; «hasty and irresponsible action»

2. responsible — being the agent or cause; «determined who was the responsible party»; «termites were responsible for the damage»

causative — producing an effect; «poverty as a causative factor in crime»

3. responsible — having an acceptable credit rating; «a responsible borrower»

trustworthy, trusty — worthy of trust or belief; «a trustworthy report»; «an experienced and trustworthy traveling companion»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

responsible

adjective

4. sensible, sound, adult, stable, mature, reliable, rational, sober, conscientious, dependable, trustworthy, level-headed He’s a very responsible sort of person.
sensible irresponsible, unreliable, untrustworthy, undependable, unconscientious

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

responsible

adjective

2. Capable of being depended upon:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

جدير بالثِّقَةعَمَلٌ فيه مسؤوليَّهمَسْؤُولمَسْؤول عنمَسؤول عَن

odpovědnýspolehlivýzodpovědný

ansvarligskyld i

vastuullinen

odgovoran

felelõsségteljesok: oka

ábyrgîarmikillábyrgurábyrgur gerîa sinnaábyrgur, áreiîanlegurbera ábyrgî á

責任がある

책임이 있는

zodpovedný

odgovorenzanesljiv

ansvarig

รับผิดชอบ

chịu trách nhiệm

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

responsible

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

respond

(rəˈspond) verb

(with to).

1. to answer with words, a reaction, gesture etc. He didn’t respond to my question; I smiled at her, but she didn’t respond.

2. to show a good reaction eg to some course of treatment. His illness did not respond to treatment by drugs.

3. (of vehicles etc) to be guided easily by controls. The pilot said the plane did not respond to the controls.

reˈsponse (-s) noun

1. a reply or reaction. Our letters have never met with any response; My suggestions met with little response.

2. (usually in plural) in church services, a part spoken by the congregation rather than the priest.

reˌsponsiˈbility (-sə-) plural reˌsponsiˈbilities noun

1. something which a person has to look after, do etc. He takes his responsibilities very seriously.

2. the state of having important duties. a position of responsibility.

3. the state of being responsible. his responsibility for the accident.

reˈsponsible (-səbl) adjective

1. having a duty to see that something is done etc. We’ll make one person responsible for buying the food for the trip.

2. (of a job etc) having many duties eg the making of important decisions. The job of manager is a very responsible post.

3. (with for) being the cause of something. Who is responsible for the stain on the carpet?

4. (of a person) able to be trusted; sensible. We need a responsible person for this job.

5. (with for) able to control, and fully aware of (one’s actions). The lawyer said that at the time of the murder, his client was not responsible for his actions.

reˈsponsibly (-sə-) adverb

in a trustworthy or serious way. Do try to behave responsibly.

reˈsponsive (-siv) adjective

(negative unresponsive). a responsive, kindly girl; a responsive smile; The disease is responsive to treatment.

reˈsponsively adverbreˈsponsiveness noun

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

responsible

مَسْؤُول odpovědný ansvarlig verantwortlich υπεύθυνος responsable vastuullinen responsable odgovoran responsabile 責任がある 책임이 있는 verantwoordelijk ansvarlig odpowiedzialny responsável ответственный ansvarig รับผิดชอบ sorumlu chịu trách nhiệm 负责的

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

responsible

a. responsable.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Educalingo cookies are used to personalize ads and get web traffic statistics. We also share information about the use of the site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners.

Download the app
educalingo

I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life.

Walter Anderson

section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD RESPONSIBLE

From Latin rēsponsus, from rēspondēre to respond.

info

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsapp

section

PRONUNCIATION OF RESPONSIBLE

facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsapp

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF RESPONSIBLE

Responsible is an adjective.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES RESPONSIBLE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Responsibility

Responsibility may refer to: ▪ Collective responsibility ▪ Corporate social responsibility ▪ Diffusion of responsibility ▪ Diminished responsibility ▪ Duty ▪ Human responsibilities ▪ Legal liability ▪ Legal responsibility, various meanings ▪ Media responsibility ▪ Moral responsibility ▪ Obligation ▪ Professional responsibility ▪ Responsibility assumption in spirituality and personal-growth contexts ▪ Responsibility, a song by the Christian punk band MxPx ▪ Single responsibility principle ▪ Social responsibility ▪ The Westminster system constitutional conventions of: ▪ Cabinet collective responsibility ▪ Individual ministerial responsibility…


Definition of responsible in the English dictionary

The first definition of responsible in the dictionary is usually foll by for having control or authority. Other definition of responsible is foll by to being accountable for one’s actions and decisions. Responsible is also involving decision and accountability.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH RESPONSIBLE

Synonyms and antonyms of responsible in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS OF «RESPONSIBLE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «responsible» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «responsible» into 25 languages

online translator

TRANSLATION OF RESPONSIBLE

Find out the translation of responsible to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of responsible from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «responsible» in English.

Translator English — Chinese


负责的

1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English — Spanish


responsable

570 millions of speakers

Translator English — Hindi


जिम्मेदार

380 millions of speakers

Translator English — Arabic


مَسْؤُول

280 millions of speakers

Translator English — Russian


ответственный

278 millions of speakers

Translator English — Portuguese


responsável

270 millions of speakers

Translator English — Bengali


দায়ী

260 millions of speakers

Translator English — French


responsable

220 millions of speakers

Translator English — Malay


Bertanggungjawab

190 millions of speakers

Translator English — Japanese


責任がある

130 millions of speakers

Translator English — Korean


책임이 있는

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Javanese


Tanggung jawab

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Vietnamese


chịu trách nhiệm

80 millions of speakers

Translator English — Tamil


பொறுப்பு

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Marathi


जबाबदार

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Turkish


sorumluluk sahibi

70 millions of speakers

Translator English — Italian


responsabile

65 millions of speakers

Translator English — Romanian


responsabil

30 millions of speakers

Translator English — Greek


υπεύθυνος

15 millions of speakers

Translator English — Afrikaans


verantwoordelik

14 millions of speakers

Translator English — Swedish


ansvarig

10 millions of speakers

Translator English — Norwegian


ansvarlig

5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of responsible

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «RESPONSIBLE»

The term «responsible» is very widely used and occupies the 2.697 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Trends

FREQUENCY

Very widely used

The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «responsible» in the different countries.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of responsible

List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «responsible».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «RESPONSIBLE» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «responsible» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «responsible» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about responsible

10 QUOTES WITH «RESPONSIBLE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word responsible.

I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly.

None of us is responsible for the complexion of his skin. This fact of nature offers no clue to the character or quality of the person underneath.

I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life.

My daughter’s the greatest thing that’s happened to me in my life and she turned me into a more responsible man, as opposed to just someone who’s a perpetual teenager, thinking you’re a man when you’re not.

So I let them be responsible for there particular areas. Then by the time it gets to me that means that there is a problem. I have my eyes open and I need to know something about every department but you don’t want to micro manage any particular department.

When I am there at our global product development centers, I am meeting with the design team and reviewing design work being done there and meeting with engineers responsible for work being done specific to that region, meeting with purchasing team.

People are concerned, here again, about life, and haven’t given a whole lot of attention to how you make fathers responsible for the lives they bring into the world.

And their conviction is that if it is done with that kind of purity it will go somewhere. I believe that with all my heart, but I’m not responsible for its going somewhere.

Whether you’re managing the finances for a household of one, a business of a thousand, or a government of several hundred million, there’s no more important statement of fiscal intent you can make than putting together a responsible budget — one that acknowledges its available means, and makes a reasonable attempt to live within them.

All men equal in rights and duties, all men equally responsible for the destiny of mankind — what a dream!

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «RESPONSIBLE»

Discover the use of responsible in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to responsible and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Responsible Journalism addresses the contentious issue of defining journalistic responsibility.

2

Being Responsible: A Book about Responsibility

Explains many different ways that children can be responsible and show responsibility.

3

Responsible Conduct of Research

Featuring chapters that treat such topics as ethical decision-making, research misconduct, and intellectual property, this new edition will be an indispensable resource for students and teachers, academics and industry professionals alike.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Maryland School of Medicine Adil E. Shamoo Professor, David B. Resnik Biothicist National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institutes of Health, 2009

4

Environmentally Responsible Design: Green and Sustainable …

Armed with this book as a reference, students and professional interior designers will make sound design decisions that incorporate the principles of sustainability with aesthetics and functional requirements.

5

Is Anyone Responsible?: How Television Frames Political Issues

. Here is powerful additional evidence for those of us who like to flay television for its contributions to the trivialization of public discourse and the erosion of democratic accountability.»—William A. Gamson, Contemporary Sociology …

6

Responsible Tourism: Critical Issues for Conservation and …

First Published in 2008. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

7

The Responsible Self: An Essay in Christian Moral Philosophy

It presents a selection of important and otherwise unavailable texts in easily accessible form. Volumes in this series will enable sustained dialogue with predecessors though reflection on classic works in the field.

Helmut Richard Niebuhr, 1999

8

The Responsible Company

Details the business policies undertaken by the outdoor sports clothing company Patagonia to make environmentally responsible practices a priority, including using organic cotton and manufacturing recycled fleece.

Yvon Chouinard, Vincent Stanley, 2012

9

Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research (rev. Ed. )

This report seeks to supplement existing resources by making a comprehensive overview of basic rules of the road for responsible research available to all U.S. Public Health Service-funded researchers.

Nicholas H. Steneck, 2009

10

The Responsible Administrator: An Approach to Ethics for the …

Praise for the Fifth Edition of The Responsible Administrator «Cooper’s fifth edition is the definitive text for students and practitioners who want to have a successful administrative career.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «RESPONSIBLE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term responsible is used in the context of the following news items.

Coalition for Responsible Cybersecurity Formed to Prevent …

WASHINGTON—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Today, a broad cross-section of industry announced the formation of the Coalition for Responsible Cybersecurity. «Business Wire, Jul 15»

Responsible investment: Vice versus nice

But the campaign against fossil fuels is only the most visible manifestation of the increasing importance of responsible or social investing. There is a huge range … «Financial Times, Jun 15»

Nave Communications Receives Responsible Recycling (R2 …

JESSUP, Md., June 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nave Communications, a subsidiary of ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:AEY), announced … «GlobeNewswire, Jun 15»

Responsible Credit Is an Economic and Moral Issue

This brief outlines the case for responsible lending practices within the framework of faith. Finally, the brief lists policy recommendations to tackle predatory … «Center For American Progress, Jun 15»

Canada’s top 50 socially responsible corporations: 2015

Social responsibility is central to the operations of these companies—they know it’s smart business to consider global issues and the broader community, … «Macleans.ca, Jun 15»

Socially Responsible Investing: A Way to Attract Younger Clients

Now comes another difference between these investors and others: They are more inclined toward socially responsible investing. According to a new report from … «ThinkAdvisor, May 15»

Responsible Antibiotics Use Standard Introduced for Chicken in …

School Food FOCUS (Food Options for Children in the United States) and The Pew Charitable Trusts worked together to create the new Certified Responsible … «Food Safety News, May 15»

Responsible Business awards 2015: the shortlist

By making a small but significant change to its Responsible Business awards this year, Business in the Community, the UK charity, hopes to give companies a … «Financial Times, Apr 15»

Tapping the potential of responsible investing by debunking the myths

Once perceived as a niche area of asset management with relatively limited appeal, responsible investment (RI) has evolved into a diverse, globally recognized … «InvestmentNews, Feb 15»

UBS and M&G ‘worst performers’ on responsible investment

UBS Global Asset Management and M&G have been named among the worst-performing fund houses in terms of transparency and responsible investment by … «Financial Times, Jan 15»

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Responsible [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/responsible>. Apr 2023 ».

Download the educalingo app


Discover all that is hidden in the words on educalingo

ответственный, несущий ответственность, надежный, сознательный, важный

прилагательное

- ответственный; несущий ответственность

responsible to smb. — ответственный перед кем-л.
to be responsible for smth. — а) быть ответственным за что-л.; б) быть автором или инициатором чего-л.
to be jointly and severally responsible — юр. нести солидарную и индивидуальную ответственность
he is responsible for these verses — эти стихи принадлежат ему
they are responsible for the reorganization — из-за них /благодаря им/ была проведена реорганизация

- отвечающий за свои действия

he is not responsible for his actions — он не отвечает за свои поступки, он ненормален

- надёжный, достойный доверия

a very responsible tenant — очень надёжный арендатор
a situation for a responsible man — место для надёжного человека
from responsible sources — из надёжных источников
in responsible quarters — в авторитетных кругах
there was about him a responsible look — в его внешности было что-то внушавшее доверие

- амер. платёжеспособный
- ответственный, важный

responsible post — ответственный пост

- арх. приличный, респектабельный (о виде и т. п.)

he had quite responsible clothes — он был одет вполне прилично

существительное

- театр. жарг. дублёр

Мои примеры

Словосочетания

determined who was the responsible party — определили, кто же был виновной стороной  
responsible for the highness of the rates — ответственный за высокие показатели  
responsible government — ответственное правительство  
to hold smb. responsible — считать кого-л. ответственным  
responsible official — ответственное лицо  
key / responsible position — ключевая, ответственная должность  
responsible authority — ответственный орган  
to hold responsible in damages — считать ответственным за убытки  
hold responsible — быть ответственным  
responsible ministry — ответственное правительство  
person responsible for his acts — лицо, ответственное за свои действия  
administratively responsible — несущий административную ответственность  

Примеры с переводом

She is a very responsible worker.

Она — очень ответственный работник.

He is responsible enough for this job.

Он достаточно ответственный человек для этой работы.

She behaved in a very responsible way.

Она вела себя очень ответственно.

Is he responsible enough to have a car?

Достаточно ли он ответственный чтобы иметь машину?

Who is responsible for this terrible mess?

Кто в ответе за эту ужасную путаницу?

The town is responsible for snow removal.

За уборку снега отвечают городские власти.

They are in no small way responsible for it.

Они в немалой степени несут за это ответственность.

ещё 23 примера свернуть

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Who is responsible for the upkeep of these buildings?

I’m holding you personally responsible for this mess!

Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines.

Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке , напротив примера.

Возможные однокоренные слова

irresponsible  — безответственный, несознательный, невменяемый, неответственный
responsibly  — ответственно

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle French responsable, from Old French responsable, responsible, formed from the root of Latin responsus, from respondere. The spelling of the English word is taken from the Old French variant responsible.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɹɪˈspɒnsəbl̩/
  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈspɑnsəbl̩/

Adjective[edit]

responsible (comparative more responsible, superlative most responsible)

  1. (postpositive, followed by «for») Having the duty of taking care of something; answerable for an act performed or for its consequences; accountable; amenable, especially legally or politically.

    Parents are responsible for their child’s behaviour.

    1. (postpositive, followed by «for», rare) In honor shame culture and patronage, the patron of the entity denoted by the prepositional phrase’s compliment AKA object, the entity being its client. In this context the patron is usually being described analogously to a rump state that would govern the client, functioning as though it were a complaints department and a disciplinary apparatus by getting involved in any disputes involving the client, e.g. by acid attacking its own client or by taking revenge against the client’s accuser.
  2. (postpositive, followed by «for») Being a primary cause of a situation or action and thus able to be blamed or credited for it.

    Who is responsible for this mess?

    • 2018 May 26, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London)[1]:

      [] Karius was a danger to his own team, responsible for Madrid’s two other goals and last seen wandering aimlessly around the pitch – alone, distraught and clearly traumatised – to ask forgiveness, hands clasped, from the thousands of Liverpool supporters.

  3. (followed by «to») Answerable to (a superior).
  4. (of a job or position) Involving important duties; involving a degree of personal accountability on the part of the person concerned.
    She has a responsible position in the firm.
  5. Having good judgment in decision-making.
    • 2012 March 1, William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter, “The British Longitude Act Reconsidered”, in American Scientist[2], volume 100, number 2, page 87:

      But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge—a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea.

  6. Able to be trusted; reliable; trustworthy.

    He looks like a responsible guy.

  7. Capable of rational conduct and thus morally accountable for one’s behavior.

Usage notes[edit]

The meaning of the word changes to almost the opposite depending on whether it is used before or after a noun. For example:

The powerful Russians who didn’t oppose Putin’s successful grab for absolute power and the normal Russians who didn’t protest against the first persecutions of journalists long ago are equally responsible for the destruction of Russia’s first democracy, i.e. the citizens responsible were not responsible citizens.

Antonyms[edit]

  • irresponsible

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

Translations[edit]

answerable for an act performed or for its consequences

  • Albanian: përgjegjës (sq)
  • Arabic: مَسْؤُول (ar) (masʔūl), مَسْئُول(masʔūl)
  • Armenian: պատասխանատու (hy) (patasxanatu)
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܡܸܫܬܲܐܠܵܢܵܐ‎ m (mištaʾlānā), ܡܸܫܬܲܠܵܢܬܵܐ‎ f (mištallāntā), ܡܸܬܓ݂ܝܼܒ݂ܵܢܵܐ‎ m (mitḡīḇānā)
  • Azerbaijani: cavabdeh, sorğulu, məsul
  • Bashkir: яуаплы (yawaplı)
  • Belarusian: адка́зны m (adkázny), адпавяда́льны (adpavjadálʹny)
  • Bengali: দায়ী (daẏi)
  • Bulgarian: отгово́рен (bg) (otgovóren)
  • Catalan: responsable (ca)
  • Chinese:
    Cantonese: 有責任有责任 (jau5 zaak3 jam6)
    Mandarin: 有責任有责任 (yǒu zérèn)
  • Czech: odpovědný (cs)
  • Danish: ansvarlig (da)
  • Dutch: verantwoordelijk (nl), aansprakelijk (nl)
  • Estonian: vastutav
  • Finnish: vastuussa
  • French: responsable (fr)
  • Galician: responsable (gl)
  • Georgian: პასუხისმგებელი (ṗasuxismgebeli)
  • German: verantwortlich (de)
  • Greek: υπεύθυνος (el) (ypéfthynos)
  • Hebrew: אַחְרָאִי(akhra’i)
  • Hindi: उत्तरदायी (hi) (uttardāyī), ज़िम्मेदार (zimmedār)
  • Hungarian: felelős (hu)
  • Icelandic: ábyrgur (is)
  • Indonesian: bertanggung jawab (id)
  • Italian: responsabile (it)
  • Japanese: 責任のある (ja) (せきにんのある, sekinin no aru)
  • Kazakh: жауапты (jauapty)
  • Korean: 책임 있는 (chaegim inneun)
  • Kurdish:
    Northern Kurdish: mesûl (ku), berpirsyar (ku)
  • Kyrgyz: жооптуу (ky) (jooptuu)
  • Latvian: atbildīgs
  • Lithuanian: atsakingas
  • Macedonian: одговорен (odgovoren)
  • Malay: bertanggungjawab
  • Maori: haepapa, noho haepapa
  • Mongolian:
    Cyrillic: хариуцлагатай (xariuclagataj)
    Mongolian: ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠭᠤᠴᠠᠯᠭᠠᠲᠠᠢ (qariɣučalɣatai̯)
  • Norman: responsabl’ye (Jersey)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: ansvarlig (no)
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Occitan: responsable (oc)
  • Pashto: مسؤل(masúl), ذمه دار(zemadār)
  • Persian: مسئول (fa) (mas’ul), ذمه‌دار(zemme-dâr), جوابدار(javâbdâr)
  • Polish: odpowiedzialny (pl)
  • Portuguese: responsável (pt)
  • Romanian: responsabil (ro)
  • Russian: отве́тственный (ru) (otvétstvennyj)
  • Scottish Gaelic: an urra ri, cùramach
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: о̏дгово̄ран
    Roman: ȍdgovōran (sh)
  • Sicilian: rispunzàbbili
  • Slovak: zodpovedný
  • Slovene: odgovoren (sl)
  • Spanish: responsable (es)
  • Swedish: ansvarig (sv)
  • Tagalog: mapanagutin
  • Tajik: масъул (masʾul), ҷавобгар (javobgar)
  • Tatar: җаваплы (cawaplı)
  • Thai: รับผิดชอบ (th) (ráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔp)
  • Turkish: sorumlu (tr), mesul (tr)
  • Turkmen: jogapkär
  • Ukrainian: відповіда́льний (vidpovidálʹnyj)
  • Urdu: ذمہ دار(zimme-dār)
  • Uyghur: جاۋابكار(jawabkar), مەسئۇل(mes’ul)
  • Uzbek: javobgar (uz), masʼul (uz)
  • Vietnamese: có trách nhiệm
  • Walloon: responsåve (wa)

able to answer reasonably for one’s conduct

  • Arabic: مُلام(mulām)
  • Armenian: պատասխանատու (hy) (patasxanatu)
  • Bashkir: яуаплы (yawaplı)
  • Catalan: responsable (ca)
  • Danish: ansvarsbevidst, ansvarlig (da)
  • Dutch: verantwoordelijk (nl)
  • French: responsable (fr)
  • Galician: responsable (gl) m or f, responsábel (gl) m or f
  • German: vernünftig (de)
  • Hebrew: אַחְרָאִי(akhra’i)
  • Hungarian: felelősségteljes (hu), felelős (hu)
  • Italian: responsabile (it)
  • Norman: responsabl’ye m or f (Jersey)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: please add this translation if you can
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Polish: odpowiedzialny (pl)
  • Portuguese: responsável (pt)
  • Romanian: responsabil (ro) m, responsabilă (ro)
  • Russian: отве́тственный (ru) (otvétstvennyj)
  • Scottish Gaelic: cùramach
  • Sicilian: rispunzàbbili
  • Spanish: responsable (es)
  • Swedish: ansvarstagande (sv), ansvarsfull (sv), ansvarskännande
  • Ukrainian: відповіда́льний (vidpovidálʹnyj)

involving a degree of personal accountability

  • Armenian: պատասխանատու (hy) (patasxanatu)
  • Bashkir: яуаплы (yawaplı)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 有責任感的有责任感的 (yǒu zérèngǎn de)
  • Danish: ansvarsfuld
  • Dutch: verantwoordelijk (nl), responsabel
  • Finnish: vastuullinen (fi)
  • French: responsable (fr)
  • Galician: responsable (gl) m or f, responsábel (gl) m or f
  • German: verantwortungsvoll (de)
  • Hungarian: felelős (hu), felelősségteljes (hu), felelősséggel járó
  • Indonesian: bertanggung jawab (id)
  • Italian: di responsabile, di responsabilità
  • Malay: bertanggungjawab
  • Maori: haepapa
  • Norman: responsabl’ye m or f (Jersey)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: please add this translation if you can
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Portuguese: responsável (pt)
  • Russian: отве́тственный (ru) (otvétstvennyj)
  • Sicilian: di rispunzabbilità
  • Spanish: de responsabilidad (locution)
  • Swedish: ansvarsfull (sv), med förtroende (sv)
  • Ukrainian: відповіда́льний (vidpovidálʹnyj)

being a primary cause or agent of some event or action

  • Armenian: պատասխանատու (hy) (patasxanatu)
  • Bengali: দায়ী (daẏi)
  • Catalan: responsable (ca)
  • Danish: ansvarlig (da)
  • Dutch: verantwoordelijk (nl)
  • Finnish: vastuussa
  • French: responsable (fr)
  • Galician: responsable (gl) m or f, responsábel (gl) m or f
  • German: verantwortlich (de)
  • Hungarian: felelős (hu)
  • Italian: responsabile (it), colpevole (it)
  • Norman: responsabl’ye m or f (Jersey)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: please add this translation if you can
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Portuguese: responsável (pt)
  • Russian: отве́тственный (ru) (otvétstvennyj)
  • Sicilian: curpàbbili, rispunzàbbili
  • Spanish: responsable (es)
  • Swedish: ansvarig (sv)
  • Ukrainian: відповіда́льний (vidpovidálʹnyj)

able to be trusted

  • Armenian: պատասխանատու (hy) (patasxanatu)
  • Bulgarian: отговорен (bg) (otgovoren)
  • Catalan: responsable (ca)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 負責任的负责任的 (fù zérèn de)
  • Danish: ansvarsbevidst, pålidelig
  • Dutch: betrouwbaar (nl), degelijk (nl)
  • French: responsable (fr)
  • Galician: responsable (gl) m or f, responsábel (gl) m or f
  • German: zuverlässig (de)
  • Hungarian: felelősségteljes (hu), megbízható (hu), kötelességtudó (hu)
  • Italian: responsabile (it)
  • Maori: tūtika
  • Norman: responsabl’ye m or f (Jersey)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: please add this translation if you can
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Portuguese: responsável (pt)
  • Romanian: responsabil (ro) m
  • Sicilian: rispunzàbbili
  • Spanish: responsable (es)
  • Swedish: ansvarsfull (sv), pålitlig (sv)

Noun[edit]

responsible (plural responsibles)

  1. (archaic) The individual who bears the responsibility for something.
    • 1899, The Harlequin (volume 1, page 12)
      Were this not so, long since would we have traced directly home the responsibility for the war on Freedom in the Philippines. Long since, would we have hanged the responsibles as traitors to our country.
  2. (theater) An actor taking on the lesser roles in repertory theatre.
    • 1907, The Green Room Book; Or, Who’s Who on the Stage (page 9)
      [] first appeared on August Bank Holiday, 1901, at Grand Theatre, Llandudno, playing «responsibles» with Edward Compton; []
    • 1926, Arthur Machen, Dreads and Drolls
      ‘Well, the Cardinal is the heavy part, isn’t it?’ ‘I know.’ ‘Then,’ said I, ‘you’d better go’; and one of the Responsibles took it on, and was perfect on the night.

Translations[edit]

Translations

  • Czech: odpovědný (cs) m
  • Galician: responsable (gl) m or f, responsábel (gl) m or f
  • Italian: responsabile (it) m or f
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: please add this translation if you can
    Nynorsk: please add this translation if you can
  • Polish: odpowiedzialny (pl) m
  • Spanish: responsable (es) m or f

References[edit]

  • “responsible”, in The Century Dictionary [], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
  • responsible in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Понравилась статья? Поделить с друзьями:
  • Give the definition of the word recreation
  • Give the definition of the word muscle ответьте на вопросы
  • Give the definition of the word challenging a dull and tiresome
  • Give the antonym of the word difficult
  • Give synonyms to the word pupil