Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To be held responsible or accountable for something; to accept the consequences or blame for an action or situation. This is the primary meaning, indicating that someone must explain, justify, or take the blame for something.
   • To speak or act in support or defense of someone or something. A secondary meaning where one vouches for or represents the qualities or actions of another.

Usage Examples

• Verb (Responsibility):
  • Managers must answer for their team's performance. (Managers are held accountable for how well their team does.)
  • He will have to answer for his mistakes in court. (He will be required to explain and accept punishment for his errors in a legal setting.)
• Verb (Support/Defense):
  • I can answer for her honesty; she is completely trustworthy. (I can vouch for or guarantee her honest character.)
  • His actions answer for his good intentions. (His actions serve as evidence or justification for his good intentions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have a lot to answer for": To be responsible for many problems or negative outcomes.
  • The previous administration has a lot to answer for regarding the environmental damage. (The past leaders are largely to blame for the harm done to the environment.)

Variants and Related Words

• Answerable (adjective): Responsible and required to explain one's actions.
  • She is answerable directly to the board of directors.
• Account for (verb phrase): A close synonym meaning to explain or be the reason for something. (Note: While similar, "account for" often focuses on providing an explanation, whereas "answer for" emphasizes accepting blame or responsibility.)
  • Can you account for your whereabouts last night? (Can you explain where you were?)

Synonyms

• Be accountable for: To be responsible for and required to justify.
• Take the blame for: To accept responsibility, especially for something negative.
• Vouch for: To give a personal guarantee of someone's good qualities (for the supportive meaning).
• Justify: To show or prove to be right or reasonable.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Answer back: To reply rudely or defiantly.
  • Don't answer back to your teacher like that.
• Answer to: To be responsible to a person or authority.
  • As a public servant, you answer to the voters.

Related Idioms

• Hold someone to account: To make someone explain their actions and take responsibility.
  • The public will hold the politicians to account in the next election.
• The buck stops here: An idiom meaning the speaker accepts ultimate responsibility. (This is conceptually related to "answer for.")
  • As CEO, the buck stops here for all major decisions.

Verb

1. furnish a justifying analysis or explanation
   • I can't account for the missing money