impose responsibilities on

USAGE SUMMARY

"impose responsibilities on" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to say that someone has been given certain responsibilities to fulfill. For example: The committee has decided to impose responsibilities on each of its members.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"I think this is clear from the attacks that are made not just on our court but even on national courts, where they take a decision which is unpopular: the problem is always seen in terms of the Human Rights Act which grants rights but doesn't actually impose responsibilities on the individual.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Politicians don't seem to realise that the more you impose responsibility on schools the more they need that support.

The Guardian

In due course it might well be argued that the act was right to make the relationship between auditors and their "clients" more distanced and adversarial but then went far beyond what was necessary in that respect by, among other things, imposing responsibilities on CEOs that they are not, in fact, in a position to discharge.

The Economist

That imposes responsibility on you – we're conscious of our social power, what we represent – but joy too.

The Guardian - Sport

He predicted that many more states would soon "jump on the bandwagon" to impose new responsibilities on employers.

The New York Times

"This imposes certain responsibilities on Israel as the center of Jewish culture, literature and religious thought," Mr. Eizenstat said.

The New York Times

There was no dispute that the law, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, imposes fiduciary responsibilities on employers and other sponsors of retirement plans.

The New York Times

Because weak national public health capabilities undermine efforts to strengthen global public health security, IHR (2005) imposes substantial responsibilities on countries to improve public health capacity and infrastructure.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

This duality imposes unique responsibilities on researchers to ascertain the child's wishes, the weight of these wishes relative to the child's age and maturity, and the lengths to which paediatric participant rights must be safeguarded.

BMC Medical Ethics

But the SEC, with weak leadership, has done as little as possible to hold anyone accountable for the crash, while the Department of Justice has dodged one opportunity after another to impose meaningful responsibility on big corporations and their executives.

Huffington Post

It is, however, a troubling law since it tries to impose criminal responsibility on individual bankers for collective failures.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "impose responsibilities on", ensure the context clearly indicates who is assigning the responsibilities and to whom. For instance, "The new regulations impose responsibilities on employers to ensure workplace safety."

Common error

Avoid using "impose responsibilities on" when the intention is to suggest or recommend actions rather than mandate them. "Suggest new responsibilities for" is a soft and polite approach.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impose responsibilities on" functions as a verb phrase that indicates the action of assigning duties or obligations to someone. It is commonly used to express a formal assignment of responsibilities, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

25%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

12%

Wiki

6%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "impose responsibilities on" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression for assigning duties or obligations. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts. While alternatives such as "assign responsibilities to" or "delegate responsibilities to" exist, "impose responsibilities on" specifically conveys authority and expectation. It is essential to ensure that the context clearly indicates the assigner and the assignee to avoid ambiguity. The phrase sees considerable use in News & Media, Science, Formal & Business and Academia contexts. Therefore, writers can confidently use "impose responsibilities on" when a formal and authoritative tone is desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Place responsibilities on

A more neutral way of saying responsibilities are given, without the connotation of authority.

Assign responsibilities to

Focuses on the act of allocation rather than the authoritative nature of imposition.

Charge with responsibilities

Emphasizes the formal act of assigning duties.

Task with responsibilities

Focuses on the aspect of giving someone a specific job.

Delegate responsibilities to

Implies a transfer of duties from a superior to a subordinate.

Lay responsibilities on

A less common, more formal way to assign duties.

Entrust responsibilities to

Highlights the element of trust in assigning duties.

Make accountable for

Shifts the focus from assigning duties to ensuring accountability.

Saddle with responsibilities

Suggests that the responsibilities are burdensome.

Hold responsible for

Emphasizes the expectation of being answerable for certain actions or outcomes.

FAQs

How can I use "impose responsibilities on" in a sentence?

You can use "impose responsibilities on" to indicate that someone is assigning or mandating duties to another party. For example, "The government decided to "impose responsibilities on" tech companies to monitor content."

What's the difference between "impose responsibilities on" and "delegate responsibilities to"?

"Impose responsibilities on" suggests a formal assignment of duties, often from a position of authority. "Delegate responsibilities to" implies a transfer of duties from a superior to a subordinate, often with a focus on sharing workload.

What are some alternatives to "impose responsibilities on"?

Alternatives include "assign responsibilities to", "place responsibilities on", or "charge with responsibilities" depending on the context.

Is it better to "impose responsibilities on" or "assign responsibilities to" someone?

Both phrases are correct, but their connotations differ. "Impose responsibilities on" suggests a formal, perhaps authoritative assignment. "Assign responsibilities to" is more neutral and simply indicates that duties are being given.