accountable
adj.-
1 responsible for actions (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediaterequired to explain your actions or decisions to someone else, especially when you make a mistake.
obliged to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions; answerable to an authority or the public.
ExampleThe government must be accountable to the people who voted for them.
ExamplePublic officials are held strictly accountable for the transparent management of taxpayer funds and must justify any significant budgetary deviations.
UsageOften used with the prepositions 'to' (the person in charge) and 'for' (the task or action).
- unaccountable
- irresponsible
PitfallThe manager is accountable of the budget.The manager is accountable for the budget.Use the preposition 'for' to describe the thing you are responsible for, and 'to' for the person you answer to.
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2 able to be explained (adj.) C2 Proficiency Formal Archaicpossible to explain or understand.
capable of being accounted for or explained through logic or evidence.
ExampleThe strange noise was accountable once we found the broken window.
ExampleThe sudden shift in the chemical composition of the soil was only accountable by the presence of an underground spring.
UsageIn modern English, 'explicable' is much more common for this meaning.
- explicable
- understandable
- explainable
- unaccountable
- inexplicable
From account + -able. First attested around 1400.
- Nounaccountability
- Adjectiveaccountable