held accountable

USAGE SUMMARY

'held accountable' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone being responsible for their actions and having to accept the consequences. For example: All employees should be held accountable for their work performance.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"Nobody is being held accountable".

The New York Times

Has anyone been held accountable?

The New York Times

Violators will be held accountable.

Independent

Are they held accountable?

The New York Times - Sports

Governments being held accountable.

The Guardian - Opinion

Today, you're held accountable".

The New York Times

"Nobody is held accountable.

The Guardian

Someone had to be held accountable.

The Economist

Gene wants Berman to be held accountable.

The New Yorker

"He wanted to be held accountable.

The New York Times - Sports

Those waywards must be held accountable".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "held accountable", ensure clarity regarding who is holding whom accountable and for what specific actions or outcomes. For example, "The manager held the team accountable for meeting the project deadlines".

Common error

Avoid using "held accountable" without specifying the area of responsibility. For instance, stating "He was held accountable" is vague; instead, specify what he was accountable for, such as "He was held accountable for the budget overruns".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held accountable" functions as a passive construction, indicating that someone is subject to being answerable for their actions or decisions. As Ludwig AI explains, it signifies that individuals or entities are responsible for their conduct and are expected to face the consequences of their behavior.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "held accountable" is a common and grammatically correct passive construction used to indicate that someone is responsible for their actions and must face the consequences. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely applicable across various contexts, primarily in news and media, as well as formal and business settings. When using this phrase, clarity is essential to specify who is holding whom accountable and for what. Remember to use related phrases like "held responsible" or "held to account" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

held responsible

This alternative places emphasis on the duty and obligation to answer for one's actions.

answerable for

This alternative refers to the obligation to provide explanation for specific actions.

held liable

This alternative suggests legal or financial responsibility for damages or wrongdoing.

held to account

This emphasizes the process of demanding an explanation or justification for actions.

brought to justice

This implies a formal legal process to punish wrongdoing.

called to answer

This suggests a formal summons or demand for an explanation.

called upon to answer

More formal and emphasizes the expectation of a response.

made answerable

This emphasizes the act of designating someone as responsible.

punished for their actions

Focuses specifically on the punitive aspect of accountability.

subject to scrutiny

Implies that someone's actions will be closely examined.

FAQs

How to use "held accountable" in a sentence?

You can use "held accountable" to indicate that someone is responsible for their actions and will face consequences if they fail to meet expectations. For instance, "The company will be "held accountable" for environmental damage."

What can I say instead of "held accountable"?

You can use alternatives like "held responsible", "held liable", or "held to account" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "held accountable" or "hold accountable"?

"Held accountable" is the passive form, indicating someone receives accountability. "Hold accountable" is the active form, meaning someone is assigning accountability. The correct choice depends on the sentence's intended meaning.

What's the difference between "held accountable" and "held responsible"?

While similar, "held accountable" often implies a formal process or system of accountability, whereas "held responsible" can be more general and simply mean someone is seen as the cause or bearer of responsibility.