responsibility

/ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

//ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"responsibility" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“responsibility” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,837 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,837
frequency rank, English
14
letters
22
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable.

Key facts for responsibility
PropertyValue
Headwordresponsibility
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
Letters14
Frequency rank#1,837
Misspellings tracked22
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “responsibility” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). responsibility lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for responsibility is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,837 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 22 likely wrong-spelling variants for responsibility, with forms such as "ersponsibility", "repsonsibility", and "resopnsibility". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From responsible + -ity. Although the components are of French origin, the compound appears to have been formed in English. Later-attested French responsabilité is modeled on the English word, and Italian responsabilità is in turn modeled on the French. The correct English form is responsibility, spelled R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable.
  2. 2
    The state of being liable, culpable, or responsible for something in particular.
  3. 3
    A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.
  4. 4
    A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.
  5. 5
    A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.

Etymology

From responsible + -ity. Although the components are of French origin, the compound appears to have been formed in English. Later-attested French responsabilité is modeled on the English word, and Italian responsabilità is in turn modeled on the French.

Synonyms

responsibleness

This word in other languages

responsabilidad(Español)responsabilité(Français)Verantwortung(Deutsch)responsabilidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ersponsibility,repsonsibility,resopnsibility,respnosibility,responisbility,responnsibility,responsbiility,responsibbility,responsibiilty,responsibilitty,responsibilityy,responsibiliyt,responsibillity,responsibiltiy,responsibliity,responsiiblity,responssibility,resposnibility,respponsibility,ressponsibility,rresponsibility,rseponsibility

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of responsibility - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ersponsibility2repsonsibility2resopnsibility2respnosibility2responisbility2responnsibility1responsbiility2responsibbility1
Edit distance from "responsibility"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "responsibility"?
"responsibility" is spelled R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/.
What does "responsibility" mean?
As a noun, "responsibility" means: The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable.
What are common misspellings of "responsibility"?
Common misspellings include "ersponsibility", "repsonsibility", "resopnsibility", "respnosibility", "responisbility". The correct spelling is "responsibility".
How do you pronounce "responsibility"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "responsibility" is /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "responsibility"?
From responsible + -ity. Although the components are of French origin, the compound appears to have been formed in English. Later-attested French responsabilité is modeled on the English word, and Italian responsabilità is in turn modeled on the F... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “responsibility”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list