accountability

Everyday

1. Accountability means being responsible for what you do and being ready to explain it and accept the results: «taking accountability for a mistake». tree →
2. (formal) In government and work, accountability means that people in charge must explain their decisions to others and can be held to blame. tree →

In the lessons

In ethics and citizenship lessons, accountability is part of fairness: leaders answer to voters, schools to inspectors, children to their families. In everyday life, owning up to a mistake shows accountability. Phrases: «take accountability», «hold someone to account», «accountability for».

Examples

• Owning up to breaking the vase showed real accountability. tree →
• Voters want accountability from their leaders. tree →
• Our class has a rota so there is accountability for tidying up. tree →
• The coach talked about accountability: everyone is responsible for the team. tree →
• The report called for more accountability in the council. tree →
• Taking accountability means saying sorry and fixing things. tree →

Note

Uncountable. From «accountable» (responsible, able to be asked to explain). Formal; everyday talk says «owning up», «taking responsibility». Not about money, though it comes from the same word as «account».