Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Expected or required to account for one's actions; answerable. synonym: responsible.
  • adjective Capable of being explained.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Liable to be called to account; responsible, as for a trust or obligation; answerable, as for conduct: as, every man is accountable to God for his conduct; a sheriff is accountable as bailiff and receiver of goods.
  • Of which an account can be given; that can be accounted for: in this use opposed to unaccountable.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Liable to be called on to render an account; answerable.
  • adjective rare Capable of being accounted for; explicable.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having accountability (individuals have accountability); answerable.
  • adjective Requiring accountability (property or funds require accountability).
  • adjective Liable to be called on to render an account;
  • adjective Being answerable for.
  • adjective Being liable for.
  • adjective rare Capable of being accounted for; explicable; explainable.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective liable to account for one's actions

Etymologies

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Examples

  • We devised a bill that moved to universal coverage using what we called accountable health plans playing by national rules to ensure competition and choice.

    Homepage | INFORUM | Fargo, ND 2010

  • We devised a bill that moved to universal coverage using what we called accountable health plans playing by national rules to ensure competition and choice.

    Homepage | INFORUM | Fargo, ND 2010

  • We devised a bill that moved to universal coverage using what we called accountable health plans playing by national rules to ensure competition and choice.

    Homepage | INFORUM | Fargo, ND 2010

  • Telling some one about a weakness you have and asking them to keep you accountable is pretty much how I would describe stating your plans as a "dissatisfaction".

    Achieve Your Goals By Keeping Them Quiet | Lifehacker Australia 2009

  • God will ultimately hold McCain accountable for his partisan and prejudicial decisions steve poppitz

    McCain to vote against Sotomayor 2009

  • The law encourages doctors and hospitals to join "accountable care organizations" that have financial incentives to limit unnecessary care; it beefs up "comparative effectiveness research" to weed out inefficient treatments; and it will eventually tax the most expensive insurance plans to restrain consumers 'superfluous use of health care.

    The price problem that health-care reform failed to cure Alec MacGillis 2010

  • The law encourages doctors and hospitals to join "accountable care organizations" that have financial incentives to limit unnecessary care; it beefs up "comparative effectiveness research" to weed out inefficient treatments; and it will eventually tax the most expensive insurance plans to restrain consumers 'superfluous use of health care.

    The price problem that health-care reform failed to cure Alec MacGillis 2010

  • The only way to keep education accountable is to keep it both understandable and flexible.

    Mayor Bloomberg Misses the Problem, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty 2009

  • The law encourages doctors and hospitals to join "accountable care organizations" that have financial incentives to limit unnecessary care; it beefs up "comparative effectiveness research" to weed out inefficient treatments; and it will eventually tax the most expensive insurance plans to restrain consumers 'superfluous use of health care.

    The price problem that health-care reform failed to cure Alec MacGillis 2010

  • Can't anyone be held accountable from the mess the Bush regime left?

    Cheney stands by efforts to secure pardon for Libby 2009

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