chiefly accountable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "chiefly accountable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something is primarily responsible for a particular outcome or situation. Example: "The project manager is chiefly accountable for the success of the project and must ensure all tasks are completed on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

Formal & Business

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

For the first time, a Democratic president, Barack Obama, is espousing ideas that have been anathema to teachers' unions — chiefly, encouraging school choice through charter schools and holding teachers accountable for student learning.

The New York Times

"The F.D.I.C. brings this complaint to hold these highly paid senior executives, who were chiefly responsible for WaMu's higher-risk home lending program, accountable for the resulting losses".

The New York Times

WaMu, as the bank was known, is back in the news because the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation sued Mr. Killinger and two other former top officials of the bank last week, seeking to "hold these three highly paid senior executives, who were chiefly responsible for WaMu's higher-risk home-lending program, accountable for the resulting losses".

The New York Times

Chiefly Florida and Georgia.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly South.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly Northeast.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly Hudson River Valley.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly Virginia.

The Guardian - Books

Chiefly New England.

The Guardian - Books

Chiefly midland.

The Guardian - Books

Chiefly New York, New Jersey.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "chiefly accountable" when you want to emphasize that someone or something bears the main responsibility, distinguishing it from secondary accountabilities.

Common error

Avoid using "chiefly accountable" in informal contexts. Opt for simpler alternatives like "mostly responsible" when communicating casually.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "chiefly accountable" functions as an adverbial modifier combined with an adjective. It modifies the degree or extent of accountability. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for use.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "chiefly accountable" denotes the primary responsibility for a particular outcome. Although its frequency is limited, Ludwig confirms it is grammatically correct and suitable for formal contexts. Alternatives like "primarily responsible" and "mainly responsible" offer similar meanings and might be preferred in less formal settings. When using "chiefly accountable", emphasize that you are singling out the main entity responsible, clarifying the scope of accountability. This phrase is most suited to professional, news-related or formal communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily responsible

Emphasizes the main responsibility for something, similar to being "chiefly accountable".

mainly responsible

Indicates the major part of the responsibility lies with someone or something.

largely responsible

Highlights a significant portion of the responsibility.

principally liable

Focuses on the primary legal or financial responsibility.

predominantly accountable

Stresses the dominant aspect of accountability.

primarily liable

Directly indicates the main legal responsibility.

mostly responsible

Implies that the majority of the responsibility is assigned to a specific party.

significantly accountable

Highlights the importance of the accountability held.

chiefly to blame

Directly assigns the primary fault or culpability.

majorly responsible

Indicates the responsibility is held by a person with respect to a major aspect.

FAQs

What does "chiefly accountable" mean?

The term "chiefly accountable" means primarily or mainly responsible for something. It emphasizes that someone or something bears the main accountability for a specific outcome or situation.

What can I say instead of "chiefly accountable"?

You can use alternatives like "primarily responsible", "mainly responsible", or "largely responsible" depending on the context.

How do I use "chiefly accountable" in a sentence?

Example: "The project manager is chiefly accountable for the success of the project and must ensure all tasks are completed on time."

Is "chiefly responsible" the same as "chiefly accountable"?

While similar, "chiefly responsible" emphasizes the duty or obligation to handle something, whereas "chiefly accountable" highlights the obligation to answer for the results or consequences.