responsibility

Definitions

Built on respond: re- (back) + spons (the pledge/answer form) + -ibility (the quality of) = 'the state of being answerable.' A responsible person is literally someone who can be called to respond — if something goes wrong, they must give an answer. So responsibility is the bundle of duties you have to answer for.

Common Collocations

• 1.take responsibility承担责任
• 2.accept responsibility接受责任
• 3.personal responsibility个人责任
• 4.sense of responsibility责任感
• 5.shared responsibility共同责任

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Taking care of the budget is her responsibility.

• 2.

  The company accepted full responsibility for the accident.

• 3.

  Parents have a responsibility to keep their children safe.

• 4.

  With more freedom comes greater responsibility.

Easily Confused

responsibility vs duty vs obligation — all mean something you must do. duty is the moral or job-defined thing you ought to do (a soldier's duty). obligation is a binding requirement, often owed to someone (a contractual obligation). responsibility is broadest: it covers both the tasks in your charge and the accountability if they fail. Tip: you take responsibility for outcomes, you have a duty to act.