avoid their responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoid their responsibility" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing situations where individuals or groups are trying to escape or not fulfill their obligations or duties. Example: "In times of crisis, some leaders may try to avoid their responsibility instead of addressing the issues head-on."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In Ames, Iowa, he added: "They're putting out a guideline to employers for the ways in which those employers can actually avoid their responsibility to workers, even as they're prepared to give people earning more than $200,000 a year yet another tax cut.

The New York Times

Hence, the McConnell approach provides no way out for members of Congress to avoid their responsibility.

Huffington Post

They indicate that just because the matter is of a religious nature it does not give the right to elected officials to avoid their responsibility on the matter.

HuffPost

Problematic therapists are covertly defensive, always throwing the question of progress back in your lap and, therefore, appearing to avoid their responsibility for at least half of what's going on.

Huffington Post

Meanwhile, later on at trial, these misunderstandings -- the perception that the young person did not try to avoid their responsibility for the crime -- can be used again against them as an example of not showing remorse, which is often a factor in deciding to charge juveniles as adults.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

We have invested nearly £1bn in [HMRC] to relentlessly pursue those who avoid their responsibilities, and have significantly increased their yield targets.

Independent

"I strongly disagree with the statement that debt collectors, when acting as data furnishers, avoid their responsibilities to update those credit reports," she said.

The New York Times

"The vast majority of taxpayers play by the rules and the government will continue to take action to tackle the minority who seek to avoid their responsibilities.

The Guardian - Business

"It's one more strategy in which companies are seeking to avoid their responsibilities to their workers," said Amy Dean, the A.F.L-C.I.O.'s chief organizer in Silicon Valley.

The New York Times

"We need to end the era of tax havens which has allowed rich individuals and multinational companies to avoid their responsibilities to society by hiding ever increasing amounts of money offshore.

Independent

The work and pensions committee, which is chaired by Labour MP Frank Field, has called for the government to introduce a "nuclear deterrent" to stop companies or individuals trying to avoid their responsibilities to pension schemes.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "avoid their responsibility", ensure the context clearly indicates who is avoiding the responsibility and what that responsibility entails. This clarifies the sentence and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Be careful not to assume someone is deliberately trying to "avoid their responsibility" without sufficient evidence. Sometimes, failures arise from incompetence, lack of resources, or unforeseen circumstances, not necessarily intentional evasion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoid their responsibility" functions as a verb phrase. It describes an action of evading or neglecting duties. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "avoid their responsibility" is grammatically sound, though relatively rare in usage. Ludwig AI indicates that it is a correct and usable phrase. It primarily functions to express disapproval or highlight a failure to fulfill expected duties. Its register is typically neutral, appearing most frequently in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, clarity is crucial; ensure the subject and the specific responsibility being avoided are clearly identified. Alternative phrases such as "shirk their duty" or "evade their obligation" can provide nuanced variations in meaning. Be mindful of potentially misattributing intent when using the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shirk their duty

Replaces "responsibility" with the more formal "duty" and uses "shirk" for a stronger sense of evasion.

evade their obligation

"Obligation" is a synonym for "responsibility", and "evade" suggests skillful avoidance.

dodge their accountability

"Accountability" implies being answerable for actions; "dodge" suggests quick or clever avoidance.

sidestep their commitment

"Commitment" suggests a voluntary undertaking; "sidestep" implies avoiding direct confrontation.

neglect their duties

"Neglect" indicates a failure to fulfill responsibilities, rather than active avoidance.

fail to meet their obligations

Focuses on the failure to fulfill the responsibility, rather than the act of avoiding it.

renege on their promise

Specifically refers to breaking a promise or agreement, a specific type of responsibility.

abandon their post

Implies deserting a position or role, a more drastic form of avoiding responsibility.

abdicate their role

Suggests a formal renunciation of a responsibility or position.

shrug off their obligations

Indicates a dismissive or nonchalant attitude towards responsibilities.

FAQs

What does "avoid their responsibility" mean?

The phrase "avoid their responsibility" refers to the act of evading or neglecting one's duties, obligations, or accountability for certain actions or outcomes.

What can I say instead of "avoid their responsibility"?

You can use alternatives like "shirk their duty", "evade their obligation", or "dodge their accountability" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "evade their obligation" or "avoid their responsibility"?

While both phrases are acceptable, "evade their obligation" might be perceived as slightly more formal due to the use of "evade" and "obligation", which are often used in legal or official contexts compared to "avoid their responsibility".

How can the phrase "avoid their responsibility" be used in a sentence?

You can use "avoid their responsibility" in a sentence like this: "In times of crisis, some leaders may try to "avoid their responsibility" instead of addressing the issues head-on."