Difference between Accountable and Responsible

What is the difference between Accountable and Responsible?

Accountable as an adjective is having accountability (individuals have accountability). while Responsible as an adjective is answerable for an act performed or for its consequences; accountable; amenable, especially legally or politically.

Accountable

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: Having accountability (individuals have accountability). Requiring accountability (property or funds require accountability). Liable to be called on to render an account; answerable; Being answerable for. Being liable for. Capable of being accounted for; explicable. (Documents): Items such as airline tickets, whose issue must be recorded by the issuing authority and matched up again after use.

Example sentence: Debate is almost non-existent and no one is apparently accountable to anybody apart from their political party bosses. It is bad news for democracy in this country.

Responsible

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: Answerable for an act performed or for its consequences; accountable; amenable, especially legally or politically.Capable of responding to any reasonable claim; able to answer reasonably for one's conduct and obligations; capable of rational conduct.Involving responsibility; involving a degree of personal accountability on the part of the person concerned.Being a primary cause or agent of some event or action; capable of being credited for something, or of being held liable for something.Able to be trusted; reliable; trustworthy.

Example sentence: I'm responsible for what I say, but I'm not responsible about how people interpret my situation.

We hope you now know whether to use Accountable or Responsible in your sentence.

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