answerable
/ˈɑːnsərəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈænsərəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈan(t)-s(ə-)rə-bəl/ (ame, mw)
answerable — adjective
- answerablepositive
- more answerablecomparative
- most answerablesuperlative
1. required to report to a person or group in authority and justify what you have d
required to report to a person or group in authority and justify what you have done, especially when they have the right to criticise or penalise you
The CEO is answerable to the board of directors for every major financial decision the company makes.
answerable to
After complaints about cold meals, the cafeteria manager was answerable to the school principal for the kitchen's hygiene.
answerable to [authority] for [matter]
Amara knew that as team leader she was answerable to the principal for how the project money was spent.
The charity's trustees are answerable to the national regulator for any funds they receive or distribute.
- accountable
very close in meaning; 'answerable' emphasises having to give an explanation, while 'accountable' emphasises being responsible for results
- responsible
broader term; 'responsible' does not always imply that someone expects an explanation
- liable
stronger legal connotation; implies a legal obligation or penalty
- unaccountable
not having to explain or justify actions to anyone
文法句型
answerable + to + someone
answerable + to + someone + for + something
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal or official contexts. The pattern is answerable to [person/body] for [matter]. The person or body you are answerable to has authority over you; the matter is the area you must report on.
常見錯誤
2. being the person who caused something bad or harmful to happen, and therefore de
being the person who caused something bad or harmful to happen, and therefore deserving blame or punishment
The construction company was found answerable for the collapse of the bridge because they used poor-quality materials.
answerable for
Parents may be held answerable for damage their children cause to school property.
passive: 'held answerable'
Elena discovered that the driver who caused the crash would be answerable for all the medical costs.
Under the new law, companies are answerable for the environmental damage created by their suppliers.
- liable
stronger legal focus; often used in statutes and court rulings
- at fault
more informal; implies direct blame
- blameworthy
formal and literary; emphasises moral failing
- blameless
not responsible for anything bad
文法句型
answerable + for + something
answerable + for + doing something
用法筆記
This sense focuses on blame or liability for something negative, unlike sense 1 which focuses on reporting to an authority. Frequently used in legal or formal discussions about who should take responsibility for harm.
常見錯誤
3. able to be answered, solved, or argued against — used about questions, problems,
able to be answered, solved, or argued against — used about questions, problems, objections, or criticisms
Whether a comet would hit Earth was unanswerable fifty years ago, but it is now answerable thanks to better telescopes.
contrast between 'unanswerable' and 'answerable' with timeframe
The basketball coach knew the question 'why do players keep getting injured' was not answerable without a medical review.
answerable question with embedded question as subject
Professor Okafor showed that each objection raised during the debate was answerable with evidence from the latest clinical trials.
A skilled debater knows that every objection from the audience is answerable with calm logic and hard evidence.
- resolvable
more formal; focuses on finding a solution
- soluble
used mainly for problems, not questions
- decidable
technical term in logic and mathematics
- unanswerable
impossible to answer or refute
- insoluble
impossible to solve
文法句型
answerable + question
用法筆記
This sense is less common than senses 1 and 2 and is mostly found in formal or academic contexts. It often appears in the negative form 'unanswerable', which is more frequently used than the positive form.