ACCOUNTABLE Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'accountable' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of accountable are amenable , answerable , liable , and responsible . While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation. // elected officials are accountable to the voters

Q: How do 'amenable' and 'liable' relate to one another, in the sense of 'accountable'?

Both amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions. // laws are amenable to judicial review // not liable for the debts of the former spouse

Q: When is 'answerable' a more appropriate choice than 'accountable'?

While in some cases nearly identical to accountable , answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance. // an intelligence agency answerable to Congress

Q: When would 'responsible' be a good substitute for 'accountable'?

The words responsible and accountable can be used in similar contexts, but responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust. // the bureau responsible for revenue collection

accountable

adjective

ə-ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl

Definition of accountable

as in responsible

being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so the owner was held accountable for his dog's biting of the child

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How does the adjective accountable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of accountable are amenable, answerable, liable, and responsible. While all these words mean "subject to being held to account," accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation.

elected officials are accountable to the voters

How do amenable and liable relate to one another, in the sense of accountable?

Both amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions.

laws are amenable to judicial review

not liable for the debts of the former spouse

When is answerable a more appropriate choice than accountable?

While in some cases nearly identical to accountable, answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance.

an intelligence agency answerable to Congress

When would responsible be a good substitute for accountable?

The words responsible and accountable can be used in similar contexts, but responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust.

the bureau responsible for revenue collection

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of accountable It was never driven by any sense of vision, and no one was held accountable. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Afghan women in the diaspora and their allies have also been working to hold the Taliban accountable for their repression. — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026 Underlying this drift in the NHS is a centralized performance-management system that prioritizes outputs over outcomes and holds providers accountable for short-term, measurable targets on diagnoses, appointments, and operations. — Kyle Vanelli, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026 Fortunately, Lombard’s mother, Judy, was always around to hold their son accountable on defense. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accountable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for accountable

Adjective

The weapons dealers responsible for the cacophony on the lakefront of thundering jets have been gifted in the billions of tax dollars for the research and development of these weapons of mass destruction.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Samples collected at the farms tested positive for salmonella, and genetic sequencing found that some matched the strain responsible for the outbreak, according to the FDA.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of responsible

Adjective

Sponsor is not liable for any travel cancelled or prizes forfeited due to a force majeure event (including without limitation, events related to the propagation of the COVID-19 virus).

— August 16, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
Other jurisdictions have also taken steps to hold parents liable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of liable

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accountability

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“Accountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accountable. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of accountable

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