accept the onus

USAGE SUMMARY

"accept the onus" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing responsibility or burden in a situation. Example: "In this project, I will accept the onus of ensuring all deadlines are met." Alternative expressions include "bear the responsibility" and "take on the burden."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

These rabbis see the disabled teenagers as being unfit to accept the onus of the Jewish commandments that are undertaken upon reaching the age of adulthood according to Jewish Law.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

And coach Del Bosque, a former player and coach of Real Madrid who has seven Barcelona and four Real Madrid men in his squad, has accepted that the onus is on them to retain their title.

The New York Times - Sports

Remember you bear the onus of professionalism.

The Guardian

Take the onus off of us.

Vice

Even the man who started the "defund Obamacare" boomlet, Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, seemed to accept Senate reality on Wednesday, putting the onus on House Republicans to stand and fight.

The New York Times

They could have offered to send in ships to help and the onus would have been on the Philippines to accept or reject it".

Los Angeles Times

When determining whether or not a scientific hypothesis should be accepted for the time being as part of the corpus, the onus of proof falls on its adherents.

SEP

He queried why the onus was placed on recipients to opt out of emails, when Marriage Alliance had accepted they were added without their consent.

The Guardian

The onus would then be on the authors to try to resolve why their assay system deviates from what is accepted for PP1 and related protein phosphatases.

eLife

As reviewer #2 states below: "The onus would then be on the authors to try to resolve why their assay system deviates from what is accepted for PP1 and related protein phosphatases".

eLife

"The onus is on him.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with formal subjects such as governments, leaders or institutions to match its elevated tone.

Common error

Despite their similar sounds, "onus" refers to a burden or obligation, while "bonus" refers to a reward. Using "accept the onus" when you mean you are accepting a gift or extra payment is a significant semantic error.

Linguistic Context

In a grammatical sense, "accept the onus" serves as a transitive verb phrase. The verb "accept" acts upon the noun phrase "the onus", which functions as the direct object. According to Ludwig, this structure is used to acknowledge the transfer or assumption of a specific burden. While the phrase itself is rare in the provided data set, the related variations like "the onus is on" are significantly more common.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "accept the onus" is a sophisticated linguistic tool for expressing the assumption of a heavy or significant responsibility. Ludwig AI highlights that while the exact phrase may be less frequent than its counterparts like "the onus is on", it is entirely correct and carries a high degree of authority. It is best suited for formal writing, particularly in journalism, policy discussions and legal or academic arguments. When using it, ensure that the context warrants the weight that the word 'onus' implies, as it is far more powerful than the standard phrase "take responsibility".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bear the responsibility

A direct and slightly more common equivalent that implies enduring a weight.

take on the burden

Emphasizes the heavy or difficult nature of the task at hand.

accept accountability

Focuses on being answerable for actions and their consequences.

accept the obligation

Focuses on the legal or moral duty rather than just the burden.

take ownership of

Common in business environments to indicate accountability for a project or result.

embrace the duty

Suggests a more positive or willing attitude toward taking responsibility.

assume the mantle

Specifically refers to taking on a role of leadership or a specific legacy.

carry the weight

A more metaphorical way to describe managing a significant responsibility.

shoulder the blame

Limits the scope of responsibility to negative outcomes or mistakes.

stand to be counted

Idiomatic expression for being brave enough to take responsibility publicly.

FAQs

How do I use "accept the onus" in a sentence?

You can use it when describing someone taking on a heavy duty, for example: "The committee decided to "accept the onus" of restructuring the entire department".

What is a simpler way to say "accept the onus"?

A more common and simpler alternative is to "take responsibility" or "accept the burden".

Is it "onus on" or "onus for"?

The most frequent prepositional use is "on". While you "accept the onus", the onus typically lies "on" a specific person or group.

Can I say "bear the onus" instead?

Yes, "bear the onus" is a perfectly valid alternative that emphasizes the ongoing weight of the responsibility rather than the initial act of accepting it.