define responsibilities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "define responsibilities" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing the clarification of roles or duties in a specific context, such as in a job description or project outline. For example, "It is important to define responsibilities before starting the project." Alternative expressions include "clarify duties" and "outline roles."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

There should be a written memorandum of understanding between the Home Office, chief constables, and the new police and crime commissioners to define responsibilities, the home affairs select committee has said.

The Guardian

A central local strategy was developed in order to define responsibilities for all involved partners.

Health Education Research

Equity is also a cornerstone of the international agreements and compacts developed in recent decades such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Millennium Declaration that define responsibilities and guide the work of all who are concerned with furthering the well-being of children.

Unicef

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau commissioned the American College of Medical Genetics to outline a process for the standardization of outcomes and guidelines for state newborn screening programs and to define responsibilities for collecting and evaluating outcome data, including a recommended uniform panel of conditions to include in state newborn screening programs.

Genetics in Medicine

After introducing near-miss case reviews in five hospitals in Benin, we performed a process evaluation to assess to what extent audit teams were able perform near-miss case reviews according to the rules, that is, to identify CMPs and underlying causes, propose solutions, define responsibilities and document the implementation of solutions.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

As Gauri (2001) suggest, in developing countries with poor quality and inequitable distribution of health care services, a key function of the funding body is to define responsibilities of different types of providers and levels of care, and organise the available resources accordingly [ 4].

Health Research Policy and Systems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Almost all those who deny free will define responsibility as though it must be total and absolute, or it is nothing at all.

The Guardian

The following paragraphs further examine this aspect, as it seems instructive to illustrate the similarities and differences between the ways in which RRI and neoliberalism define responsibility.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

Managers in localized health systems must find ways to clearly define responsibility and decision-making autonomy at all levels, from local communities to the central administration, and for these different levels to productively interact.

Globalization and Health

This retrospective and prospective analysis offers a template for these reforms, responding to the profound harms posed by fragile national health systems, delays in the international response, deficient resource mobilisation, ill defined responsibilities, and insufficient coordination.

The Lancet

Dr. Taylor defines responsibility (response-ability) as the ability to choose how you respond to stimulation coming in through your sensory systems at any moment in time.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with clear documentation, such as a memorandum of understanding or a job description, to ground the abstract concept in reality.

Common error

Avoid using "define responsibilities" when you actually mean giving someone a specific task to do right now. "Define" refers to the structural explanation of a role, while "assign tasks" refers to the allocation of immediate work.

Linguistic Context

As a verb phrase, "define responsibilities" functions as an action intended to create clarity or structure. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often appears as an infinitive ("to define responsibilities") or as a core objective within a larger strategy or framework.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "define responsibilities" is a highly effective, formal expression used to establish the boundaries and expectations of a role or project. Based on data from Ludwig, it is most prevalent in Science and News & Media, where precise communication is critical for safety, policy, and effective management. While it is grammatically correct and widely accepted, it should be used specifically when referring to the structural description of duties rather than the simple act of giving someone a job. Alternatives like "outline roles" or "delineate duties" can provide variations in tone, but "define responsibilities" remains the standard for creating clear organizational frameworks.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

outline roles

Uses a more visual verb, often found in human resources and job descriptions.

delineate duties

More formal and technical, emphasizing the exact boundaries between different obligations.

identify key responsibilities

Suggests a process of selecting or prioritizing the most important duties.

clarify expectations

Focuses on the interpersonal or management aspect rather than the formal documentation.

establish accountabilities

Stronger emphasis on being answerable for outcomes rather than just performing tasks.

assign tasks

More specific and granular, referring to individual pieces of work rather than broad roles.

stipulate obligations

Carries a legalistic or contractual tone, implying mandatory requirements.

specify functions

Focuses on the technical operations or mechanical purpose within a system.

determine scope of work

Broader terminology often used in project management and contracts.

set parameters

More abstract, referring to the limits and boundaries within which one operates.

FAQs

How to use "define responsibilities" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe the act of clarifying duties, such as: "The committee met to "define responsibilities" for each team member."

What is the difference between "define responsibilities" and "assign responsibilities"?

While both are related, to "define responsibilities" means to describe what a role entails, whereas to "assign responsibilities" means to officially give those duties to a specific person.

What can I say instead of "define responsibilities" in a business context?

Depending on the tone, you might use "outline roles" for a general overview or "delineate duties" for a highly detailed, formal breakdown.

Is it correct to say "determine responsibilities"?

Yes, "determine responsibilities" is a valid alternative, though it implies a decision-making process about who should do what, rather than just describing the roles.