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accountability

uh-koun-tuh-BIL-i-tee /əˌkaʊn.təˈbɪl.ə.ti/

nounB2TOEFLIELTSUPSC

professionalbusinesspolitical

The obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and disclose the results in a transparent manner.

Accountability is not just about being responsible; it specifically involves the obligation to report, explain, and face consequences for one's actions. It requires an external party to whom one is answerable.

The story behind the word. Accountability traces back to the Latin 'computare', meaning to calculate or reckon. This evolved into the Old French 'aconter', meaning to count up or give a financial reckoning. Over time, the concept expanded from keeping financial ledgers to keeping a 'moral ledger' of one's actions and decisions.

Word relationships

answerability: Answerability is the obligation to provide explanations, whereas accountability also includes facing consequences and potential sanctions.
responsibility: Responsibility is the duty to act, while accountability is the obligation to explain and defend how that duty was performed.

irresponsibility: Irresponsibility is a lack of proper care or concern, whereas a lack of accountability specifically means not being answerable to anyone.

Commonly confused with

liability: Liability is a legal obligation or debt, whereas accountability is a broader ethical and administrative obligation to answer for actions.

Word family

accountable (adjective): Required or expected to justify actions or decisions.
account (verb): To provide an explanation or record of actions.

Collocations

hold someone accountable
clear accountability
public accountability
accountability mechanism

Idioms & expressions

the buck stops here

Example sentences

"The new policy establishes clear lines of accountability, ensuring that project managers are answerable for budget overruns." A corporate governance policy update.
"Without accountability, democracy cannot function, as leaders must be answerable to the citizens who elected them." A public speech on democratic institutions.

Memory hook

Think of an 'accountant' who must account for every single penny in the ledger. Accountability means you must account for every single action you take. The ledger of your actions.

When not to use

Do not confuse accountability with simple 'responsibility'. Responsibility can be a personal feeling of duty, whereas accountability requires a system of reporting and consequences.

Fun facts

The concept of accountability was formalized in the Domesday Book of 1086, where King William I required all landholders in England to account for their assets for tax purposes.