answerable
/'ɑ:nsərəbl/
Definition
- 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.
Adjective
-
morally or legally responsible to a higher authority
-
parents are answerable for their child's acts
-
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capable of being answered
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