ensure accountability

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ensure accountability" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase when discussing ways to make sure that people are held responsible for their actions. For example, "We must ensure accountability in our organization by regularly reviewing the progress of our staff."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

She said that her clients look to ensure accountability is achieved and will attempt to hold the SAPS accountable as an organisation, rather than punishing individuals.

The Guardian

To ensure accountability and prevent future human rights abuses, past crimes must be confronted.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, the rejig has spawned new layers of bodies to ensure accountability.

The Economist

He claims these changes are necessary "to ensure accountability and transparency".

The New York Times

Secondly, to ensure accountability and transparency in how states are meeting their commitments.

The Guardian

It is incumbent upon the F.B.I. to have in place policies that ensure accountability and responsibility".

The New York Times

He also urged Israel to ensure accountability for perpetrators of alleged violations.

The Guardian

It also provided a compelling method to measure results and ensure accountability.

The New York Times

Sue drives the strategy for MediaCom in the UK to ensure accountability, cut through and innovation in all work.

The Guardian

He said the bureau must work to identify areas in need of change, make them a priority, pull in senior executives to accomplish the task, and ensure accountability.

The New York Times

"More efforts are needed to protect civilians from the harms of conflict and to ensure accountability for those deliberately and indiscriminately killing them".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In corporate or organizational settings, pair "ensure accountability" with specific roles and responsibilities to foster a culture of ownership and transparency.

Common error

Avoid using "ensure accountability" without specifying what actions or outcomes individuals are accountable for. Be precise in defining expectations to prevent misunderstandings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ensure accountability" functions as a verb phrase where 'ensure' acts as a transitive verb taking 'accountability' as its direct object. It expresses the action of guaranteeing or making certain that responsibility is maintained. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ensure accountability" is grammatically sound and widely used across diverse fields, including news, business, and science. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves to emphasize the importance of responsibility and the need for actions to be justified and scrutinized. When using this phrase, it's crucial to define clear metrics for accountability and specify associated roles. Common errors include a vague definition of what accountability entails. Semantically related alternatives include "guarantee responsibility" and "establish answerability". Proper usage of "ensure accountability" promotes integrity and fosters a culture of ownership, making it a valuable tool in various professional and ethical contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

guarantee responsibility

Replaces "accountability" with "responsibility" maintaining the core meaning.

enforce responsibility

Emphasizes the active enforcement of being responsible.

establish answerability

Uses a more formal synonym for "accountability".

make certain of responsibility

Adds emphasis to the act of ensuring responsibility.

secure liability

Focuses on the legal or financial aspect of being responsible.

assure compliance

Highlights the aspect of adhering to rules and standards.

require justification

Highlights the need for providing reasons or explanations for actions.

mandate transparency

Shifts the focus to making actions and decisions more open and clear.

institute a system of checks and balances

Focuses on creating structural safeguards to ensure accountability.

bring someone to book

This idiomatic expression means to hold someone accountable.

FAQs

How can I use "ensure accountability" in a sentence?

You can use "ensure accountability" to emphasize the importance of responsibility. For example, "The new policy aims to "ensure accountability" for all financial transactions."

What's a formal way to say "ensure accountability"?

A more formal way to express "ensure accountability" is to say "establish answerability" or "guarantee responsibility".

How does "ensure accountability" differ from "promote responsibility"?

"Ensure accountability" implies a more structured approach with defined metrics and consequences, while "promote responsibility" focuses on fostering a general sense of duty. The expression "ensure accountability" suggest to enforce by any mean.

What are some contexts where it's important to "ensure accountability"?

It's important to "ensure accountability" in areas like finance, governance, ethics, and project management to maintain integrity and achieve desired outcomes.