assign accountability for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "assign accountability for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when designating responsibility for a specific task or outcome to an individual or group. Example: "In our project, we need to assign accountability for the budget management to the finance team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Therefore, it is more difficult than with conventional QA procedures to assign accountability for quality outcomes to a specific service provider.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Meanwhile, the arrest of Mr. Krajisnik and others indicted for war crimes rightly assigns accountability for the horrors of 1992-95 to leading policy makers rather than to the entire Bosnian Serb population.

The New York Times

Mrs. Clinton publicly took responsibility in October for the attack, but Mr. Pickering said the panel's mandate was to assign accountability to specific individuals who decided security measures.

The New York Times

The diversity of entry means has also made it difficult to assign responsibility and accountability for the safety of the products sold in the market.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

In disciplining these employees the director of central intelligence, George J. Tenet, properly assigned accountability within his agency.

The New York Times

Much of the effort announced today seeks to synchronize and coordinate a mix of existing family support programs that are often shunned by soldiers who fear the stigma of seeking help and that assign no clear lines of accountability for commanders, officials said.

The New York Times

Direct accountability for implementation was assigned by the policy to public health care professionals who believed in the initiative and had been advocates for its adoption.

BMC Health Services Research

Seeking accountability for the oil leak, he assigned possible guilt equally, referring to "whether it was somebody in British Petroleum or somebody in the U.S. government".

The New York Times

It condemns nearly every aspect of the force — its hiring and training practices, the way it assigns and promotes officers, and its policies governing officer behavior and accountability for misconduct.

The New York Times

"The exam boards will say it helps to develop an in-depth knowledge of the particular question assigned to them," he said, "but then there is not the same accountability for marking a paper overall.

Independent

Regulators are sacrificing accountability for convenience.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "assign accountability for" in formal contexts such as project management, legal documents, or policy-making where clear delineation of responsibilities is crucial.

Common error

Avoid assigning overlapping accountabilities to multiple parties without clearly defining their individual responsibilities. This can lead to confusion and hinder effective management.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "assign accountability for" functions to designate or allocate responsibility to a person or group for specific tasks or outcomes. It aims to establish who is answerable for results, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "assign accountability for" is a grammatically correct expression used to designate responsibility for specific tasks or outcomes. Ludwig confirms its validity and provides numerous real-world examples from reputable sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian. While not overly common, the phrase finds its place in news, scientific, and formal business contexts. The alternative phrases such as "delegate responsibility for" and "designate responsibility for" offer similar meanings with nuanced differences. When using this phrase, it's crucial to ensure clarity and provide the necessary resources to the assigned party, while also avoiding the pitfalls of overlapping accountabilities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delegate responsibility for

Focuses on delegating, which implies entrusting someone with responsibility.

designate responsibility for

Highlights the act of designating, which means officially assigning responsibility.

allocate accountability for

Emphasizes the allocation, or distribution, of accountability.

attribute responsibility to

Shifts focus to attributing, implying assigning responsibility based on cause.

place the onus on

Uses 'onus' to suggest the burden of responsibility.

hold accountable for

Focuses on the act of holding someone responsible.

task with responsibility for

Emphasizes assigning a task that includes responsibility.

impute responsibility to

Highlights assigning responsibility based on evidence or assumption.

saddle with accountability for

Implies assigning accountability, possibly in a less desirable way.

pin the blame on

Focuses on assigning blame, which is a negative form of accountability.

FAQs

How can I use "assign accountability for" in a sentence?

You can use "assign accountability for" when you need to specify who is responsible for a certain task or outcome. For example, "We must "delegate responsibility for" this project to a dedicated team."

What is a more formal alternative to "assign accountability for"?

Alternatives to "assign accountability for" that convey a formal tone include "designate responsibility for" or "allocate accountability for".

What's the difference between "assign accountability for" and "assign responsibility for"?

While similar, "assign accountability for" often implies a stronger emphasis on the consequences and outcomes tied to the assigned task. "Assign responsibility for" is a broader term, while "assign accountability for" emphasizes the obligation to answer for results.

When should I use "assign accountability for" instead of "assign blame for"?

"Assign accountability for" should be used when clarifying who is responsible for a task or outcome, irrespective of success or failure. "Assign blame for", on the other hand, is used specifically when attributing fault or responsibility for a negative outcome.