answerable

/ˈɑːnsərəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈænsərəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈan(t)-s(ə-)rə-bəl/ (ame, mw)

answerable — 形容詞

  • answerablepositive
  • more answerablecomparative
  • most answerablesuperlative

1. required to report to a person or group in authority and justify what you have d

1.形容詞B2
釋義

需問責的

須向上級或主管機關說明

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

例句

The CEO is answerable to the board of directors for every major financial decision the company makes.

執行長必須就公司的每一項重大財務決策向董事會負責。

answerable to

After complaints about cold meals, the cafeteria manager was answerable to the school principal for the kitchen's hygiene.

家長投訴餐點冰冷之後，餐廳經理必須就廚房衛生向校長說明。

answerable to [authority] for [matter]

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞

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

❌I am answerable to finish the report by Friday.
✅I am answerable to my manager for finishing the report by Friday.
💡'answerable' requires stating WHO you report to and WHAT you are responsible for.
❌The company is answerable of the accident.
✅The company is answerable for the accident.
💡The correct preposition is 'for', not 'of'.

2. being the person who caused something bad or harmful to happen, and therefore de

2.形容詞B2
釋義

應負責的

因造成損害而應受責備或懲罰

being the person who caused something bad or harmful to happen, and therefore deserving blame or punishment

例句

The construction company was found answerable for the collapse of the bridge because they used poor-quality materials.

該建築公司因使用劣質材料而被認定須為橋樑坍塌承擔責任。

answerable for

Parents may be held answerable for damage their children cause to school property.

如果孩子損壞了學校的財物，家長可能要為此負起賠償責任。

passive: 'held answerable'

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞

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

❌The teacher was answerable to the broken window.
✅The teacher was answerable for the broken window.
💡Use 'for', not 'to', when referring to the thing that went wrong.

3. able to be answered, solved, or argued against — used about questions, problems,

3.形容詞C1
釋義

可回答的

問題或異議可以回答或反駁

able to be answered, solved, or argued against — used about questions, problems, objections, or criticisms

例句

Whether a comet would hit Earth was unanswerable fifty years ago, but it is now answerable thanks to better telescopes.

彗星是否會撞擊地球，這個問題在五十年前無法回答，但現在靠更先進的望遠鏡就能解答。

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.

籃球教練知道，『為什麼球員一直受傷』這個問題，沒有醫療評估是無法回答的。

answerable question with embedded question as subject

同義詞
  • resolvable

    more formal; focuses on finding a solution

  • soluble

    used mainly for problems, not questions

  • decidable

    technical term in logic and mathematics

反義詞

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.