chiefly liable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "chiefly liable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something is primarily responsible or accountable for a particular obligation or consequence. Example: "In this case, the company is chiefly liable for the damages caused by the faulty product."

✓ Grammatically correct

Unknown

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's what critics rather airily call an "audience movie": that is, a movie liable to be enjoyed chiefly by that absurdly unqualified demographic group – the audience.

The Guardian

In preparing and publishing art atlas which contains 212 accurate tracings of these crania, the authors had two objects in view: they wished to make the material thus discovered available for the study of anthropologists throughout the world; they also wished to secure a permanent record of crania which, being chiefly in the hands of private owners, are liable to be lost or destroyed.

Nature

Chiefly South.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly Northeast.

The New York Times - Books

Chiefly Florida and Georgia.

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

Chiefly western Great Lakes.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "chiefly liable", ensure the context clearly establishes the specific obligation or consequence for which someone is primarily responsible. It is best suited for formal or legal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "chiefly liable" when the responsibility is shared equally among multiple parties. This phrase is appropriate when one party bears the largest portion of the responsibility, not when it's evenly distributed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "chiefly liable" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating the primary entity responsible or accountable for something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it follows standard grammatical rules.

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 liable" is grammatically correct but infrequently used, serving to denote the primary responsibility or accountability of an entity. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase follows standard grammar rules. While not commonly found, it is best suited for formal or legal contexts where precise attribution of responsibility is necessary. Alternatives such as "primarily responsible" or "mainly accountable" may be more common and versatile in everyday language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily responsible

Focuses on the concept of responsibility as the main aspect.

mainly accountable

Highlights the aspect of being held to account.

largely responsible

Similar to primarily responsible but emphasizing a greater degree of responsibility.

principally accountable

Highlights the accountability aspect, and might sound more formal.

chiefly accountable

Very similar, replacing 'liable' with 'accountable'.

primarily answerable

Focuses on the obligation to answer for something.

mostly responsible

Emphasizes the extent of responsibility, being almost fully responsible.

substantially liable

Stresses the significance of the liability.

predominantly responsible

Underscores the major part played in responsibility.

primarily subject to

Focuses on the concept of being subject to consequences.

FAQs

How to use "chiefly liable" in a sentence?

Use "chiefly liable" to indicate that someone or something is primarily responsible for a specific obligation or consequence. For example: "In this case, the company is chiefly liable for the damages caused by the faulty product."

What can I say instead of "chiefly liable"?

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

Which is correct, "chiefly liable" or "primarily liable"?

Both "chiefly liable" and "primarily liable" are grammatically correct. "Primarily liable" is more common and might be preferred in general usage, while "chiefly liable" could be used to add a slight emphasis.

What's the difference between "chiefly liable" and "solely liable"?

"Chiefly liable" means primarily responsible, while "solely liable" means exclusively responsible. If someone is "solely liable", they are the only party responsible; if they are "chiefly liable", they bear the largest portion of the responsibility, but others may share some responsibility.