responsibility
/rɪˌspɒnsɪˈbɪlɪti
/noun (plural responsibilities) [mass noun]
1The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone: women bear children and take responsibility for childcare...
- So therefore, we have to take responsibility for controlling those powers we develop.
- The entire community has to take responsibility for preventing and dealing with victimization.
- The NEP is designed to encourage local communities to take responsibility for managing their own estuaries.
Synonyms
authority, control, power, leadership, management, influence;
duty
2The state or fact of being accountable or to blame for something: the group has claimed responsibility for a string of murders...
- The President is constitutionally unable to accept blame or responsibility for anything which happens under his watch.
- But a minister should also be prepared to accept blame and responsibility for the mistakes and bungles made.
- And by setting up a demand that is impossible to fulfil, it replaces responsibility and accountability with blame.
Synonyms
blame, fault, guilt, culpability, blameworthiness, liability
2.1 [in singular] (responsibility to/towards) A moral obligation to behave correctly towards or in respect of: individuals have a responsibility to control their behaviour...
- They have the responsibility to behave reasonably in the face of possible threats.
- Individuals had a moral responsibility to secure just rights for themselves and others.
- I think they have a moral responsibility to people.
Synonyms
trustworthiness, level-headedness, rationality, sanity, reason, reasonableness, sense, common sense, stability, maturity, adultness, reliability, dependability, competence
3The opportunity or ability to act independently and take decisions without authorization: we expect individuals to take on more responsibility...
- Install a corporate ethics officer with real authority and independent reporting responsibility to the board.
- They were given both decision making power and responsibility.
- Such mutual independence supported by collective responsibility through state institutions seems like a good thing to me.
3.1 [count noun] (often responsibilities) A thing which one is required to do as part of a job, role, or legal obligation: he will take over the responsibilities of Overseas Director...
- Actors need to adopt a wider set of roles and responsibilities, underpinned by regulation.
- Further official roles and responsibilities are being drawn up by the board.
- The table gives the main roles and responsibilities for research governance.
Synonyms
duty, task, function, job, role, place, charge, business, onus, burden, liability, accountability, answerability, province
British informal pigeon
Phrases
on one's own responsibility