assign responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "assign responsibility" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in business and academic writing when you are referring to assigning someone the responsibility and/or duty of completing a specific task or project. For example, "The manager assigned responsibility to each of their team members to complete the project by the end of the week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Statistically, both response professionals and laypeople assign responsibility for their personal safety and provision of resources in a similar manner (Fig. 3).

Journal of Applied Volcanology

Boards have to assign responsibility, he said.

The New York Times

Assign responsibility to yourself, them and the student (if appropriate).

The Guardian

But it did not assign responsibility for the killings.

The New York Times

The group did not assign responsibility for the killings.

The New York Times

How do we assign responsibility if and when they fail to get what they wanted?

The Guardian

The critics are lining up to assign responsibility for the disastrous power problem last week.

The New York Times

Designers assign responsibility to human nature; modeling agents speak of market forces.

The New York Times

Care is widely dispersed, so it is difficult to assign responsibility to one doctor.

The New York Times

It's also best to assign responsibility for the whistleblowing policy to a particular member of staff, according to West.

The Guardian

If one had to assign responsibility, I would accept that it's men because they're in overall charge.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Be specific about the scope and limitations of the responsibility when you "assign responsibility". This prevents misunderstandings and ensures accountability.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that you "assign responsibility" without clearly defining the task or expected outcome. Ambiguity can lead to tasks not being completed effectively.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "assign responsibility" functions as a verb phrase used to indicate the act of delegating a duty, task, or obligation to a specific person or group. Ludwig examples demonstrate its usage in diverse contexts, from assigning roles within a team to attributing blame or accountability for an event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

23%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Science

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "assign responsibility" is a commonly used phrase that signifies delegating a task or duty to someone. Ludwig's AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It appears most frequently in news and media, followed by science and formal business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in defining the scope of the responsibility to avoid ambiguity. Related phrases include "delegate responsibility" and "allocate responsibility". By understanding the nuances of "assign responsibility", you can ensure clear communication and accountability in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delegate responsibility

Emphasizes the act of entrusting a task to someone else.

allocate responsibility

Focuses on distributing the burden or duty among several parties.

transfer responsibility

Highlights the act of shifting a duty or obligation from one entity to another.

apportion responsibility

Involves dividing responsibility proportionally.

designate responsibility

Refers to specifically naming or appointing someone to be responsible.

ascribe responsibility

Focuses on attributing responsibility, often after an event has occurred.

impute responsibility

Suggests attributing responsibility, often with a negative connotation.

place responsibility

General term for putting the onus on someone.

fix responsibility

Implies establishing clearly where responsibility lies.

saddle with responsibility

Conveys the idea of burdening someone with a duty.

FAQs

How can I use "assign responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use "assign responsibility" to indicate who is in charge of a task, for example, "The project manager will "delegate responsibility" for each deliverable to a team member."

What is a good alternative to "assign responsibility"?

Depending on the context, you might use alternatives such as ""delegate responsibility"", "allocate responsibility", or "transfer responsibility".

What's the difference between "assign responsibility" and "assume responsibility"?

"Assign responsibility" means to give a duty to someone, while "assume responsibility" means to take on a duty yourself. It is important to know the difference between "assume responsibility" and "assign responsibility".

Is it always necessary to "assign responsibility" in a team setting?

Yes, clearly assigning responsibility is crucial in a team environment to ensure accountability and prevent tasks from falling through the cracks. You might also need to "delegate responsibility" when things get too hectic.