essentially responsible for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "essentially responsible for" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone or something has a fundamental role or duty in a particular situation or outcome. Example: "The project manager is essentially responsible for ensuring that the team meets its deadlines and delivers quality work."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

Pectus excavatum (PE) is a congenital deformity essentially responsible for an unattractive aspect, much more rarely for compression problems.

Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research

The NDMC, which is an appointed body, is essentially responsible for New Delhi and its adjoining areas.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Essentially responsible for fielding complaints about the city's services, the public advocate has a minuscule budget and little direct power.

The New York Times

Rocket science: Essentially "responsible" for moon-landing deniers, rocket science has produced its fair share of pseudoscience, mostly linked to conspiracy theories.

The Guardian

In that job, he was essentially responsible for running the State Department, which during the Watergate period effectively ran America's foreign policy for a distracted White House.

The New York Times

The agency is not merely responsible for the health and well-being of 300 million Americans; it is also essentially responsible for the good behavior of one of the most powerful industries ever created – the American drug industry.

MIT Technology Review

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

It doesn't take a genius to work out that if a military force occupies a country, it essentially becomes responsible for safeguarding people's lives and for controlling the peace.

The Guardian - Opinion

How is the arbitration decided? A. Horowitz, as the impartial arbiter, will essentially be responsible for deciding whether the 211- game suspension stands, should be reduced, or should be thrown out altogether.

The New York Times - Sports

Experts say that Google and other search engines see some of these court cases as an assault on a principle of law already established — that search engines are essentially not responsible for the information they corral from the Web, and hope the Spanish court agrees.

The New York Times

The documents offer details that the Democrats have been clamoring after -- essentially who was responsible for editing and influencing the news releases that the environmental agency issued.

The New York Times

The outer electrons of atoms those that interact with one another to form bonds are essentially the ones responsible for giving a material its properties.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "essentially responsible for", ensure the context clearly defines the scope of responsibility. Avoid ambiguity by specifying what the subject is responsible for and to what extent.

Common error

Avoid using "essentially responsible for" when the subject only has partial or indirect responsibility. Using it in such cases can exaggerate their role and mislead the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essentially responsible for" functions as a modifier phrase that highlights the primary or fundamental nature of someone or something's duty or obligation. It's often used to clarify the most important aspect of a person's role as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "essentially responsible for" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to emphasize the primary duty or accountability of an entity. As indicated by Ludwig, it often appears in science and news media, signifying its relevance across various fields. While "primarily accountable for" and "fundamentally in charge of" serve as close alternatives, it's crucial to specify the scope of responsibility to prevent misinterpretations. By avoiding overstatement, one can leverage this phrase to accurately convey the indispensable nature of the described role.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily accountable for

Focuses on accountability as the main aspect of responsibility.

fundamentally in charge of

Emphasizes the role of being in control and directing actions.

chiefly liable for

Highlights the legal or formal aspect of being responsible.

mainly answerable for

Stresses the obligation to provide explanations or justifications.

largely in control of

Focuses on having a significant degree of control over something.

primarily tasked with

Highlights the assigned duty or task for which one is responsible.

the main driver of

Implies being the impetus or force behind a particular outcome.

the principal cause of

Indicates being the primary reason or source of something.

instrumental in bringing about

Highlights a key role in causing something to happen.

at the forefront of

Focuses on leading or pioneering a particular effort.

FAQs

How can I use "essentially responsible for" in a sentence?

Use "essentially responsible for" to indicate that someone or something has a fundamental or primary role in causing or managing something. For example, "The project manager is "essentially responsible for" ensuring the team meets its deadlines."

What are some alternatives to "essentially responsible for"?

You can use alternatives like "primarily accountable for", "mainly answerable for", or "fundamentally in charge of" depending on the context. Each alternative emphasizes a slightly different aspect of responsibility.

Is it correct to say "largely responsible for" instead of "essentially responsible for"?

Yes, "largely responsible for" is a valid alternative. However, "largely responsible for" suggests a significant but not necessarily primary role, whereas "essentially responsible for" implies a more fundamental or key role.

What's the difference between "responsible for" and "essentially responsible for"?

Adding "essentially" emphasizes that the responsibility is a core or fundamental aspect of the role or situation. "Responsible for" is a general statement of duty, while ""essentially responsible for"" highlights the indispensable nature of that responsibility.