liability
/ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌlī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)
liability — noun
1. A legal duty making a person or organization answerable for harm, loss, or injur
A legal duty making a person or organization answerable for harm, loss, or injury caused to someone else.
The company accepted liability for the chemical spill that polluted the river.
liability + for + [wrongdoing]
Under the new law, drivers have unlimited liability for injuries caused by their vehicles.
uncountable noun with 'have' + 'for'
The court found that the hospital bore no liability for the patient's allergic reaction.
Darius's lawyer argued that his client's liability was limited by the contract clause.
Insurance protects small businesses from financial liability when accidents happen on their property.
- responsibility
broader term; can refer to moral or general duty, not just legal obligation
- accountability
focuses on being answerable for one's actions; often overlaps with liability in formal contexts
- obligation
broader still; may refer to any binding duty, not necessarily legal
- immunity
exemption from legal responsibility, often granted by law or contract
文法句型
liability + for + [damage/injury/debt]
accept/bear/admit/deny + liability
用法筆記
Commonly appears in legal and insurance contexts. The verb collocations 'accept liability', 'bear liability', 'admit liability', and 'deny liability' form fixed expressions in formal English.
常見錯誤
2. Money or financial obligations that a person, company, or organization owes to a
Money or financial obligations that a person, company, or organization owes to another party.
The startup's liabilities exceeded its assets, forcing it to declare bankruptcy.
plural 'liabilities' on a balance sheet
Minh's financial advisor helped her calculate her total liabilities before she applied for a mortgage.
The audit revealed that the company had hidden liabilities worth over two million dollars.
When Nia bought the house, she took on the liability for its unpaid renovations.
A healthy business should keep its liabilities lower than its assets.
- debt
more general and everyday term; 'liability' is more formal and technical
- financial obligation
more explicit but less common in everyday speech
- asset
something of value that a person or company owns, the opposite of a debt
文法句型
liabilities + verb (plural)
total/current/long-term + liabilities
用法筆記
In financial accounting, 'liabilities' (plural) is the standard term for all debts listed on a balance sheet. The singular 'liability' refers to a single specific debt obligation.
常見錯誤
3. An individual or item that creates problems instead of providing the expected he
An individual or item that creates problems instead of providing the expected help or advantage.
Theo's complete lack of computer skills made him a liability to the IT team.
a liability to [group]
The old heating system was more of a liability than an asset, breaking down every winter.
Mira was a gifted designer, but missing deadlines made her a liability for the company.
The team saw the old software as a liability when trying to win new clients.
Ayesha realized the heavy camera was a liability on the hike, not a help.
- asset
a person or thing that is helpful and valuable, the direct opposite in this sense
文法句型
a liability + to + [person/group]
become / be / consider / see as + a liability
用法筆記
Frequently contrasted with 'asset' in the same sentence. Subject is typically a person, a piece of equipment, or a system that was expected to be useful. Often used in workplace or team contexts.