collectively liable

USAGE SUMMARY

"collectively liable" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to a group of individuals or entities that share responsibility for a particular obligation or debt. For example: "The partners are collectively liable for the business's debts." Alternative expressions include "jointly responsible" and "mutually accountable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Last summer they were collectively liable for more than £140,000.

Independent

The court held all those present at the operation collectively liable, though presumably only one had caused the injury.

The New York Times

She gained attention not just as a grieving parent, but also as a leading force and trial witness in a suit in which she and relatives of five other victims killed with illegally obtained handguns sought to hold gun makers collectively liable for the shootings.

The New York Times

To change that incentive, all of a bank's most highly compensated officers — those making more than $1 million a year — should be personally and collectively liable for paying a significant portion (perhaps 50 percent) of S.E.C. fines levied against their bank, a liability that could not be waived by the commission.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"We cannot accept a transfer union in which everybody would collectively be liable for all of the debt in Europe," he said.

The New York Times

After a four-month trial, which concluded on February 22, 2006, a jury found defendant manufacturers, NL Industries, Inc. (formerly National Lead Co). (NL), The Sherwin-Williams Co. (Sherwin-Williams), and Millennium Holdings LLC (Millennium) (collectively defendants), liable under a public nuisance theory.

Harvard University

But sometimes we're liable to happily jump on a bandwagon and collectively decide that something is a great idea, while somehow all managing to suppress any niggling thoughts in the back of our minds that it might be a load of rubbish.

Independent

Consider "collectively".

The Economist

Are they criminally liable?

Independent

Is the sponsor liable?

The New Yorker

"You're liable to kill somebody".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "collectively liable", ensure all parties involved clearly understand the extent of their shared responsibility and potential financial or legal obligations.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "collectively liable" implies equal shares of responsibility. The agreement might stipulate different contribution levels or individual exemptions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "collectively liable" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun (often individuals or entities) to indicate that they share responsibility for a debt or obligation. This is confirmed by Ludwig, emphasizing its role in describing shared legal or financial accountability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "collectively liable" is a phrase used to describe a situation where a group of individuals or entities shares responsibility for a debt or obligation. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and functions as an adjective phrase. While relatively rare in general usage, it finds frequent application in legal and business contexts. The phrase's authoritative sources include The New York Times and other news publications. When writing, remember that collective liability does not necessarily imply equal shares of responsibility. Understanding this nuance is key to avoiding misunderstandings regarding the scope of each party's liability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

jointly responsible

Focuses on the shared nature of responsibility, rather than legal liability.

mutually accountable

Emphasizes the reciprocal aspect of being held responsible.

jointly and severally liable

Highlights that each party is responsible for the entire debt or obligation.

collectively responsible

Similar but less formal, indicating a shared sense of duty.

shared liability

Highlights the fact that the liability is shared among multiple parties.

group responsibility

Highlights the fact that the responsibility is assigned to a group.

shared accountability

Underscores that multiple parties will all be held accountable.

communally responsible

Related in terms of a community sharing the responsibility.

collaboratively responsible

Responsibility through collaboration.

united in liability

Related in the sense of being together in their liability.

FAQs

What does "collectively liable" mean in legal terms?

It means that a group of individuals or entities shares responsibility for a debt or obligation. Creditors can pursue any one or all of the parties for the full amount owed.

How does "collectively liable" differ from "individually liable"?

"Individually liable" means one person is solely responsible, while "collectively liable" involves a group sharing the responsibility. Each member in the group is responsible.

What are some alternatives to using "collectively liable" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "jointly responsible", "mutually accountable", or "shared liability" depending on the context.

Can I be held "collectively liable" even if I wasn't directly involved?

Yes, if you're part of an agreement that stipulates collective liability, you can be held responsible even if you didn't directly cause the debt or obligation. The terms of the agreement dictate this.