responsible
/rɪˈspɒnsəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈspɑːnsəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl/ (ame, mw)
responsible — adjective
- responsiblepositive
- more responsiblecomparative
- most responsiblesuperlative
1. given the duty to look after a person, task, or area and make decisions about it
given the duty to look after a person, task, or area and make decisions about it
The building superintendent is responsible for keeping the entire apartment complex clean and safe.
responsible for + gerund
Dr. Okafor is responsible for twenty patients on the fourth floor of the hospital.
responsible for + number of people
The senior editor is responsible for checking every article before it goes to print.
Quan is responsible for scheduling all the delivery trucks at the warehouse this month.
- in charge of
less formal; emphasizes authority rather than duty
- in control of
focuses on having power over a situation, not duty of care
- not responsible
simple negation; no single antonym exists for this sense
文法句型
responsible + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Frequently used with a gerund (verb + -ing) after 'for' to describe ongoing duties.
常見錯誤
2. expected to give an account of your decisions or actions to a person or group wi
expected to give an account of your decisions or actions to a person or group with more authority
The warehouse manager is directly responsible to the regional director for all shipping operations.
responsible to [authority] for [duties]
In this organisation, every team leader is responsible to the head of the department.
The finance officer is responsible to the board of directors, not to the general manager.
In a democracy, the prime minister is responsible to the elected parliament.
- accountable to
more formal; carries a stronger sense of being judged or penalised
- answerable to
slightly more formal; emphasises the need to give explanations
文法句型
responsible + to + person/body
用法筆記
Often paired with 'for' to specify scope: 'responsible to [person] for [duties]'. This sense focuses on hierarchy rather than blame.
3. being the person or thing that made something happen, especially something unple
being the person or thing that made something happen, especially something unpleasant
The police detective is still trying to find out who was responsible for the break-in at the jewellery store.
responsible for + crime/incident
A short circuit in the old wiring was responsible for starting the fire in the factory.
The night-shift nurse was responsible for giving the wrong medicine to the elderly patient.
The leaking pipe in the ceiling was responsible for the water damage to the library books below.
- to blame for
carries a stronger judgment of fault; mostly used for people
- at fault
focuses on guilt rather than causation
- the cause of
neutral; can be used for both good and bad outcomes
- not to blame
opposite when the outcome is negative
- innocent of
used when someone is accused but did not cause the event
文法句型
responsible + for + noun/gerund (negative outcome)
用法筆記
Can describe both people and things (weather, equipment failure, etc.) as causes. When describing people, it often carries blame.
常見錯誤
4. to say that a particular person or group should be blamed and punished for somet
to say that a particular person or group should be blamed and punished for something bad that happened
The shareholders held the chief executive responsible for the sudden drop in company profits.
hold [sb] responsible for [sth]
The school principal can hold parents responsible for damage their children cause to school property.
The construction company was held responsible for the safety violations at the work site.
The teacher held the student responsible for setting off the fire alarm as a joke.
- blame
simpler and less formal; does not carry the same implication of formal punishment
- find guilty of
limited to legal contexts; carries a stronger judgment of wrongdoing
文法句型
hold + person + responsible + for + noun/gerund
be held responsible + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the construction 'hold [someone] responsible for [something]'. The passive form 'be held responsible' is very common in legal and formal contexts.
5. having the mental ability to understand right from wrong and to be legally blame
having the mental ability to understand right from wrong and to be legally blamed for your own actions
The court must decide whether the teenager was responsible for his actions when the crime took place.
responsible for [one's own] actions
A person with severe mental illness may not be considered legally responsible for their behaviour.
legally responsible for behaviour
The psychiatrist testified that the patient was not responsible for her own actions at the time of the incident.
The judge ruled that the driver was fully responsible for his actions at the time of the crash.
- accountable
broader meaning; less tied to mental capacity and more to general responsibility
- sane
a clinical or legal term that specifically refers to soundness of mind
- not responsible
the legal finding when a person lacks mental capacity
- insane
stronger; a clinical or legal term meaning not of sound mind
文法句型
responsible + for + possessive + actions/behaviour
用法筆記
Primarily a legal term. Often paired with adverbs like 'legally', 'criminally', or 'morally'. Distinguish from sense 3 (causation) — this sense is about mental capacity rather than whether someone caused the event.
常見錯誤
6. able to be trusted to do what is right, to make good decisions, and to keep prom
able to be trusted to do what is right, to make good decisions, and to keep promises
The hotel manager needs a responsible person to handle the night-time guest check-ins.
responsible person / employee / citizen
Tanvi is one of the most responsible students in the class — she always finishes her homework on time.
The bank is looking for a responsible employee to manage the cash vault during business hours.
The scout troop chose a responsible leader to plan the weekend camping trip for twenty children.
- trustworthy
focuses on honesty and reliability rather than decision-making ability
- dependable
emphasises consistency; you can count on the person
- reliable
similar to dependable; suggests a person does what they say they will
- sensible
focuses on having good judgment and practical wisdom
- irresponsible
direct opposite; describes someone who cannot be trusted
- unreliable
suggests a person does not keep promises or complete tasks
- reckless
stronger; suggests a person acts without care for consequences
文法句型
responsible + noun
be + responsible
用法筆記
Can be used before a noun (a responsible adult) or after a linking verb (she is very responsible). The meaning shifts slightly depending on the noun it modifies: a 'responsible driver' follows rules; a 'responsible friend' keeps secrets.
7. describing a job or position that involves important decisions and duties, requi
describing a job or position that involves important decisions and duties, requiring a trustworthy person
After five years of hard work, Yuna was finally offered a responsible position in the marketing department.
responsible position / job / role
Being a commercial airline pilot is one of the most responsible jobs a person can have.
The ambassador's role is a highly responsible position that affects relations between entire countries.
The head nurse at the city hospital holds a very responsible role in the emergency department.
- demanding
focuses on the difficulty and workload rather than importance
- high-level
suggests a position of power within a hierarchy
- senior
specifically about rank within an organisation
文法句型
responsible + position/job/role
用法筆記
Only used attributively (before a noun). You cannot say 'This job is very responsible' — instead say 'This is a very responsible job'. The word describes the nature of the role, not the person doing it.