responsible
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.having the job or duty of taking care of someone or something.
adj.having the obligation to ensure a task is completed or a person is cared for; often used with the preposition 'for'.
Simple“The manager is responsible for making sure the shop opens on time every morning.”
In context“As the lead architect, she was ultimately responsible for ensuring that the structural modifications complied with the city's stringent safety codes.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'for' and a noun or gerund.
PitfallWho is responsible of this mess? Who is responsible for this mess?Use the preposition 'for' after responsible, not 'of'.
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.being the person or thing that caused something to happen.
adj.being the primary cause or agent of a particular action or situation, whether for credit or blame.
Simple“The heavy rain was responsible for the flooding in the basement.”
In context“While several factors contributed to the project's failure, a lack of clear communication was primarily responsible for the missed deadlines.”
Synonymsguiltyto blame - 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.behaving in a sensible way and able to be trusted.
adj.demonstrating good judgment and reliability; capable of rational and moral conduct.
Simple“We need a responsible person to look after the house while we are away.”
In context“The committee is looking for a responsible candidate who can manage the budget without constant supervision.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.an actor who plays small or less important parts in a theatre company.
n.a performer who takes on secondary or minor roles within a repertory theatre system.
Simple“He started his career as a responsible, playing three different small parts in the same play.”
In context“The young actor spent two seasons as a responsible in the regional company before being cast in a leading role.”
UsageUsed as a countable noun within the context of professional theatre companies.
Teacher's tipThis is a very niche technical term in theatre; learners will almost always encounter 'responsible' as an adjective.
Usage responsible for the content · responsible landlord
From Middle French responsable, from Old French responsable, responsible, formed from the root of Latin responsus, from respondere. The spelling of the English word is taken from the Old French variant responsible. By surface analysis, response + -ible.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.