answerable

/'ɑ:nsərəbl/

Thân thiện

Parents are answerable for their child's actions.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Morally or legally responsible to a higher authority: Being in a position where one must explain or justify one's actions and can be held accountable for them.
   • Capable of being answered: Able to be replied to, refuted, or solved.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • Managers are answerable to the board of directors for their financial decisions.
  • The minister is directly answerable to the parliament.
  • The defendant is answerable for the damages caused.
  • That is a perfectly answerable question; we just need to find the data.

Advanced Usage

• "answerable to someone (for something)": This is the most common construction, indicating the person/body to whom one is responsible and the matter for which one is responsible.
  • The CEO is answerable to the shareholders for the company's performance.
• "answerable for one's actions": Emphasizes personal accountability.
  • Every adult should be answerable for their own actions.

Variants and Related Words

• Answer (v/n): The root word meaning to reply or a reply itself.
• Accountable (adj): Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably with "answerable," though "accountable" can more strongly imply a duty to report or explain.
• Responsible (adj): Having an obligation or duty. "Answerable" often specifies that responsibility is owed.

Synonyms

• Accountable: Liable to be called to account; responsible.
• Liable: Legally responsible.
• Amenable: Willing to cooperate or be influenced; also, able to be brought to account.

Antonyms

• Unaccountable: Not required or expected to justify actions or decisions; not responsible.
• Irresponsible: Not showing a proper sense of responsibility.

Related Phrases

• Hold someone answerable: To formally consider someone responsible and subject to consequences.
  • The court will hold him answerable for his breach of contract.
• Directly answerable: Reporting to or being responsible to a specific authority without intermediaries.
  • The team is directly answerable to the vice president.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. morally or legally responsible to a higher authority
   • parents are answerable for their child's acts
2. capable of being answered