C1adjectiveformalpoliticslaw
US/əˈkaʊn.tə.bəl/
UK/əˈkaʊn.tə.bəl/
responsible for your decisions and actions and expected to explain them to others
In context
Voters must be able to hold their leaders accountable at the ballot box.
The police chief is accountable to an independent committee.
Companies should be accountable for the pollution they cause.
Words that go with accountable
verb + adjective
- hold someone accountableThe families want to hold someone accountable for the bridge collapse.
adjective + preposition
- accountable forManagers will be accountable for meeting the new targets.
- accountable toMinisters are accountable to parliament.
adverb + adjective
- directly accountableThe new agency will be directly accountable to the prime minister.
- publicly accountableSchools that receive state money must be publicly accountable.