held responsible

USAGE SUMMARY

"held responsible" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when discussing someone who needs to be held accountable for their actions. For example: "The CEO should be held responsible for the poor decisions that led to the company's downfall."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They should be held responsible".

The New York Times

Bankers not held responsible.

The Guardian

Rarely, if ever, is anyone held responsible.

The New York Times

He was held responsible for it.

The New York Times - Sports

Andy Robinson is held responsible.

The Guardian - Sport

"I shouldn't be held responsible".

The New York Times

No one is held responsible".

The Guardian - Books

He should be held responsible".

The New York Times

"Milosevic must be held responsible," Davorin says.

The New York Times - Magazine

Goldman cannot be held responsible for other's bad bets.

The New Yorker

Obviously, individuals should be held responsible for their own actions.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "held responsible", ensure that the context clearly indicates who is holding the person responsible and for what specific actions or outcomes. Clarity prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "held responsible" when the subject hasn't been officially deemed accountable. Prematurely assigning blame can be misleading and unfair.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held responsible" functions as a passive construction, indicating that someone is the recipient of an action – being considered accountable. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically correct. Examples in Ludwig show it applied to individuals, organizations, and governments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Encyclopedias

13%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "held responsible" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase that signifies someone is considered accountable for their actions or the outcome of a situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase functions as a passive construction and is appropriate for assigning blame or liability across various contexts, from news reporting to formal business settings. While related phrases like "held accountable" or "answerable for" offer similar meanings, the specific choice depends on the desired nuance. Remember to use the phrase when accountability is definitively assigned and ensure clarity regarding who is holding whom responsible and for what. The phrase is very common across many fields, especially in news and media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

held accountable

Uses a different term, "accountable", to convey a similar meaning of being answerable for one's actions.

held liable

Employs "liable" indicating a legal responsibility for something.

answerable for

Replaces "held responsible" with "answerable for", focusing on the act of providing an explanation or justification.

accountable for

A more direct phrasing focusing on accountability.

bear the responsibility

Indicates carrying the weight of responsibility, shifting the focus from being held to actively possessing responsibility.

take responsibility

Implies a voluntary acceptance of responsibility.

carry the can

An idiomatic expression suggesting taking the blame, often when it's undeserved.

carry the burden

Focuses on the weight and difficulty associated with responsibility.

face the music

An idiomatic way of saying that someone must accept the consequences of their actions.

take the heat

Focuses on enduring criticism or blame for something.

FAQs

How to use "held responsible" in a sentence?

The phrase "held responsible" indicates that someone is considered accountable for their actions or the outcome of a situation. For example, "The manager was "held responsible" for the team's failure to meet the deadline".

What can I say instead of "held responsible"?

You can use alternatives like "held accountable", "held liable", or "answerable for" depending on the context.

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

"Held responsible" is the past participle form, often used in passive constructions. "Hold responsible" is the infinitive form. The correct form depends on the sentence structure. For example, "They will be "held responsible"" is correct; "We need to hold them "responsible"" is also correct, but uses a different construction.

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

While similar, "held responsible" often implies a broader sense of accountability, whereas "held accountable" might suggest a more specific obligation to explain or justify actions. Both phrases mean someone is answerable for something, but the nuance differs slightly.