back responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "back responsibility" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of taking on or assuming responsibility again, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "After the project fell behind schedule, I had to back responsibility for ensuring we met the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

One possibility that it suggests is having the state take back responsibility for courthouse maintenance, turned over years ago to the city.

The New York Times

For example, the government may have to take back responsibility for providing an array of services to Palestinians, from electricity to education.

The New York Times

The editor of The Chicago Tribune is taking back responsibility for the paper's suburban local coverage from Journatic, the troubled Tribune division that has been plagued by accusations of plagiarism, fake bylines and internal strife, according to Poynter.org.org

The New York Times

The summits began in mid 2001, when Simmons, the Def Jam and Phat Farm mogul, managed to persuade New York's political and hip-hop establishment to support an ambitious programme under the theme "taking back responsibility".

The Guardian

"If I were Sir Philip, I would take back responsibility for the BHS scheme and manage it on an ongoing basis to find the best way to meet the liabilities over time.

The Guardian - Business

A survey by Pulse found that 85.6% of GPs said they would not take back responsibility for out-of-hours care and 61.9% would take industrial action if forced to do so.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

And even if you are one of the few who doesn't need to worry about money, you still need to take back this responsibility.

The New York Times - Health

Gee, who has been the head of four other major colleges (Ohio State, Colorado, Brown and West Virginia), is now proposing that university presidents take back more responsibility for sports.

The New York Times - Sports

But if Kiev does take back economic responsibility for these regions, it also has a chance for the central government to recast itself.

BBC

Sometimes it is the patient's relatives that are the ones to most strongly oppose giving back some responsibility to the patient.

BMC Medical Ethics

In recent years, Dwight Raiford has scaled back his responsibilities with the league as others like Gwendolyn Scott and Jeanette Spencer, the current president, have run it.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to express the idea of assuming responsibility again, use established phrases like "reassume responsibility" or "take responsibility again" for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "back responsibility" in formal writing. It's not a recognized idiomatic expression and can confuse readers. Opt for more standard alternatives such as "reassume responsibility" or "take responsibility again".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "back responsibility" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the action of regaining or reassuming accountability. However, it's non-standard and often replaced with more grammatically correct alternatives. Ludwig highlights the grammatical incorrectness of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Formal & Business

21%

Science

8%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "back responsibility" appears in various contexts, particularly in news and media, it's considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates this through its analysis, suggesting that the phrase doesn't conform to standard English usage. More appropriate alternatives such as "reassume responsibility", "take responsibility again", or "reclaim responsibility" should be used to ensure clarity and correctness. Despite its presence in some reputable sources, the non-standard nature of "back responsibility" diminishes its suitability for formal or professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reassume responsibility

Focuses on the act of taking responsibility again after a period of not having it.

take responsibility again

Directly states the act of taking on responsibility for a second time.

recover responsibility

Emphasizes the retrieval of responsibility, suggesting it may have been lost or taken away.

reclaim responsibility

Suggests regaining control or ownership of a responsibility that was previously out of one's hands.

shoulder responsibility again

Uses a more figurative expression, highlighting the burden or weight of responsibility being taken up once more.

take over responsibility again

Emphasizes the act of assuming control and management of a responsibility.

resume responsibility

Formally indicates the recommencement of duties or obligations.

reinstate responsibility

Suggests the formal restoration of responsibility to a person or entity.

bring responsibility back in-house

Implies taking responsibility from an external source and handling it internally.

regain control

Focuses on the act of getting back control on a task.

FAQs

What does "back responsibility" mean?

The phrase "back responsibility" isn't standard English. It likely intends to convey resuming or reassuming a duty. Use instead phrases like "reassume responsibility" or "take responsibility again".

Is it correct to say "back responsibility"?

No, "back responsibility" isn't grammatically correct or idiomatic in standard English. More appropriate alternatives include "reclaim responsibility" or "resume responsibility" depending on the context.

What are some alternatives to "back responsibility"?

Depending on the specific context, alternatives to "back responsibility" include "reassume responsibility", "take responsibility again", "recover responsibility" or even "regain control".

How can I rephrase a sentence using "back responsibility" to be more grammatically sound?

Instead of saying "They need to back responsibility for the project", you could say "They need to take responsibility again for the project" or "They need to reassume responsibility for the project".