# responsible

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈspɒn.sə.bəl/ · frequency rank #1,407

## Definitions
1. Having the duty of taking care of something; answerable for an act performed or for its consequences; accountable; amenable, especially legally or politically.
2. Being a primary cause of a situation or action and thus able to be blamed or credited for it.
3. Answerable to (a superior).
4. Involving important duties; involving a degree of personal accountability on the part of the person concerned.
5. Having good judgment in decision-making.
6. Able to be trusted; reliable; trustworthy.
7. Capable of rational conduct and thus morally accountable for one's behavior.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **responsive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/responsible-vs-responsive)
- **responsibly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/responsible-vs-responsibly)

## Common misspellings (18)
`ersponsible`, `repsonsible`, `resopnsible`, `respnosible`, `responisble`, `responnsible`, `responsable`, `responsbile`, `responsibble`, `responsibel`, `responsiblle`, `responsilbe`, `responssible`, `resposnible`, `respponsible`, `ressponsible`, `rresponsible`, `rseponsible`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/responsible