avoid responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'avoid responsibility' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you are talking about someone who is trying to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. For example, "He's a politician who always tries to avoid responsibility for his mistakes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Exxon's response was to embark on a campaign to avoid responsibility that would last decades.

Huffington Post

Management actively tries to avoid responsibility.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the politicians also avoid responsibility.

The New York Times

Fresco said Pistorius tried to avoid responsibility.

The Guardian

"The S.E.C.'s natural, bureaucratic proclivity is to avoid responsibility".

The New York Times

One quotes history to avoid responsibility or pangs of conscience.

The New York Times

He will avoid responsibility for what is to come.

The Guardian - Opinion

They had concocted detailed lies to try to avoid responsibility for their horrific crime.

Independent

I tell her that her mother is dying, and she wants to avoid responsibility.

The New Yorker

History had allowed them to hide, to avoid responsibility for their progeny.

The New Yorker

It is a pathetic attempt to avoid responsibility for its own inactions.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about ethical conduct or organizational dynamics, use "avoid responsibility" to clearly denote the act of evading accountability. For instance, "The company's strategy seemed designed to avoid responsibility for environmental damage."

Common error

Be careful not to confuse the action of "avoid responsibility" with describing someone as generally irresponsible. The phrase denotes a specific instance of evading accountability, not necessarily a consistent character flaw.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoid responsibility" functions primarily as a verb phrase, often used as an infinitive (to avoid responsibility) or gerund (avoiding responsibility). Ludwig confirms its proper usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "avoid responsibility" is a commonly used phrase that describes the act of evading accountability or blame. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its proper grammatical standing and frequent usage across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media. While the phrase is generally neutral in register, it often carries negative connotations related to ethics and integrity. Related phrases include "evade responsibility" and "shirk responsibility". When using this phrase, ensure clarity by distinguishing the specific action from general character assessments of irresponsibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evade responsibility

Focuses on actively escaping or dodging the obligation.

shirk responsibility

Implies neglecting or failing to perform one's duties.

dodge accountability

Highlights the act of avoiding being held accountable for actions.

sidestep the issue

Refers to avoiding a problem or question rather than directly dealing with it.

decline to take responsibility

Formally refusing to accept accountability.

duck responsibility

Suggests a quick or evasive movement to avoid being assigned a task or blame.

escape accountability

Emphasizes fleeing or getting away from being held responsible.

pass the buck

Refers to shifting responsibility to someone else.

evade duty

Concentrates on escaping an obligation

get out of doing something

Informal way of saying avoiding a task

FAQs

What does it mean to "avoid responsibility"?

To "avoid responsibility" means to evade accountability or blame for one's actions or decisions, often by shifting it to others or denying involvement.

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

You might say, "The manager tried to avoid responsibility for the project's failure by blaming his team".

What are some alternatives to saying "avoid responsibility"?

You can use alternatives like "evade responsibility", "shirk responsibility", or "pass the buck" depending on the context.

Is it ever acceptable to "avoid responsibility"?

Generally, "avoid responsibility" is viewed negatively as it suggests a lack of integrity and accountability. However, there might be rare cases where accepting responsibility would be detrimental, though such scenarios are usually ethically complex.