liabilities
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun (plural form of liability) 1. Financial Obligations: The total amount of money or debts that a person or company owes to others. This is the primary meaning in business and accounting. 2. Responsibilities or Disadvantages: Things or conditions that are likely to cause problems or put someone at a disadvantage.
Usage
The word "liabilities" is almost always used in its plural form. It is a formal term most common in financial, legal, and business contexts. It refers to collective debts or burdens.
Examples
- Financial Obligations:
- The company's liabilities exceeded its assets, leading to bankruptcy.
- When applying for a loan, you must list all your assets and liabilities.
- Responsibilities or Disadvantages:
- His lack of experience was seen as a major liability for the team. (Here, the singular form liability is used for a single disadvantage.)
- The old factory, with its high maintenance costs, became a significant liability.
Advanced Usage
- "Current liabilities": Short-term financial debts that are due within one year (e.g., accounts payable, short-term loans).
- "Long-term liabilities": Debts or obligations that are due in more than one year (e.g., mortgages, bonds payable).
- "To be more of a liability than an asset": An idiom meaning someone or something causes more problems or costs than the benefits they provide.
Variants and Related Words
- Liability (noun, singular): 1. The state of being legally responsible for something. 2. A person or thing that is a disadvantage.
- Example: The driver admitted liability for the accident.
- Liable (adjective): 1. Legally responsible. 2. Likely to do or experience something undesirable.
- Example: Owners are liable for any damage caused by their pets.
Synonyms
- Debts: Sums of money owed.
- Obligations: Duties or commitments, often financial or legal.
- Responsibilities: Things one is required to do or account for.
- Encumbrances: Burdens or hindrances.
Antonyms
- Assets: Items of value owned by a person or company.
- Resources: Assets that can be used for support or help.
- Advantages: Conditions that put one in a favorable position.
Noun
- anything that is owed to someone else