determine responsibility for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "determine responsibility for" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to discuss the process of figuring out who or what is responsible for a certain action or situation. Example: After the accident, the police conducted an investigation to determine responsibility for the crash.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Ford recommended independent arbitration in Venezuela to determine responsibility for the failures and compensation for accident victims.

The New York Times

By agreeing to hear the appeal, the court prolonged an already 19-month effort to determine responsibility for the largest trading loss in banking history.

The New York Times

Yugoslavia's new foreign minister said today that the country should set up "truth commissions" to determine responsibility for the war crimes of its recent past.

The New York Times

Scott Gastel, a spokesman for the city's Department of Transportation, said his agency was working with other agencies to determine responsibility for the holes.

The New York Times

The mountainous area around the ill-marked border is rife with militant activity and it is rarely possible to determine responsibility for each explosion.

The New York Times

The Energy Department said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been unable to determine responsibility for the June disappearance of the hard drives and found no evidence that the classified information they held had been compromised.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

If possible, have those crew leaders determine responsibilities for each volunteer.

WikiHow

In a sport like hockey with brutal competition for roster spots and a culture that punishes players for refusing to play through pain, it is unrealistic and unfair to put the burden of disclosing injuries – particularly brain injuries – in determining responsibility for actions.

The Guardian - Sport

Two United Nations officials in charge of security at the Baghdad mission when it was bombed in August will be put on leave while a team of independent experts determines responsibility for the security flaws at the mission, a United Nations spokesman said Tuesday.

The New York Times

Fan and his colleagues lay out a common-sense approach to determining responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions and use a complex formula based on accumulated emissions from 1950 to 2005 to quantify how much responsibility, in China's view, each nation should shoulder.

Forbes

All too often, the process of determining responsibility for cruise passengers becomes an inter-governmental game of hot potato.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "determine responsibility for" when the process involves investigation and evidence gathering to assign accountability, rather than simply assigning blame without due process.

Common error

Avoid using "determine responsibility for" interchangeably with simply assigning blame. The phrase implies a formal process of investigation and assessment, not just a quick judgment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "determine responsibility for" functions as a verbal phrase that introduces the action of investigating and establishing accountability for a particular event or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "determine responsibility for" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe the process of establishing accountability. Ludwig AI validates its proper usage. It appears frequently in news and media, scientific publications, and other contexts requiring a formal assessment of accountability. While alternatives like "establish responsibility for" or "identify responsibility for" exist, they carry subtly different connotations. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in the context to avoid confusion with simply assigning blame.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Determine liability for

Replaces "responsibility" with "liability", focusing on legal accountability.

Establish responsibility for

Substitutes "determine" with "establish", emphasizing the act of setting or proving accountability.

Identify responsibility for

Uses "identify" instead of "determine", highlighting the recognition of accountability.

Ascertain accountability for

Replaces both words with more formal synonyms.

Pinpoint accountability for

Uses "accountability" for "responsibility", and "pinpoint" for "determine" to denote a precise locating of accountability.

Figure out who is accountable for

Informal rewrite that focuses on identifying the responsible party.

Find out who is to blame for

Replaces "responsibility" with the blameworthiness.

Investigate to find the cause of

Focuses on the investigation aspect.

Decide who is at fault for

Emphasizes the decision-making process of assigning fault.

Sort out responsibility for

Emphasizes the act of organizing/clarifying accountability.

FAQs

How can I use "determine responsibility for" in a sentence?

You can use "determine responsibility for" to indicate a process of finding out who or what caused something. For example: "An investigation was launched to determine responsibility for the data breach".

What are some alternatives to "determine responsibility for"?

Alternatives include phrases like "establish responsibility for", "identify responsibility for", or "ascertain accountability for".

What is the difference between "determine responsibility for" and "assign blame for"?

"Determine responsibility for" implies a formal investigation and assessment, whereas "assign blame for" suggests a more immediate and possibly less thorough judgment.

Is it better to use "determine responsibility for" or "determine liability for"?

The choice depends on the context. "Determine liability for" is more appropriate in legal or financial contexts, where legal or financial obligations are being assessed. "Determine responsibility for" is more general and can apply to any situation where accountability needs to be established. See: "determine liability for".