liable

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'liable' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when referring to someone or something being legally responsible for repaying a debt, compensating for a loss, or being vulnerable to a particular risk or penalty. For example: "The company was liable for the damages caused by its negligence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You shall remain liable for the fees although we may, at our discretion, refund you a proportion of the fees where we have been able to reallocate your place.

The Guardian

It is about supporting the child born from that situation throughout their often very challenging life as a result of the injury received in the womb, and who indeed should be liable for compensation from the criminal injuries compensation scheme.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Peter Delamothe, a housing benefit consultant at HBinfo, said one council had identified 250 tenants wrongly ruled liable for the bedroom tax: "This is a shambles caused by the DWP failing to understand the significance of their own legislation".

The Guardian

Internet traffic is also liable to be routed internationally even if the message is exchanged between two people within the UK.

The Guardian

All students are liable for tax – but don't have to pay it so long as they stay within the personal allowance, currently £10,000 a year which works out at £833 a month.

The Guardian - Money

Built into the terms of the lease was a move-in deadline: the port authority would be liable for penalties or lost earnings if Condé Nast were forced to wait beyond 1 January 2014 to begin the process of moving in.

The Guardian

Another Money reader, Angus Walker, had to pay £465 to get his hybrid car back from the pound after it was towed by the DVLA, even though the car is not liable for vehicle excise duty due to its super-low emissions.

The Guardian - Money

Noonan said there was €15bn of non-guaranteed senior debt that the government is not liable for, but the bailout is forcing upon it.

The Guardian - Business

The ULA, comprising the Socialist party and People Before Profit TDs, has urged all those liable for the tax to refuse payment before the weekend deadline.

The Guardian

Or think about music: Periscoping a song or multiple songs from a gig would in theory be a "performance" for which royalties are due, although the questions of who'd be liable for them and whether any music rightsholders or collecting societies would be willing to pursue them remains to be settled.

The Guardian - Tech

"It is a nuisance which is, or is liable to be, dangerous to health".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To enhance precision, combine "liable" with specific prepositions such as 'to' (for potential consequences) or 'for' (for responsibilities).

Common error

Avoid using "liable" interchangeably with "likely" in contexts where probability is the primary concern; "likely" is more appropriate for expressing general likelihood without implying responsibility or obligation.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "liable" primarily functions to ascribe a state of legal or moral responsibility, indicating that someone or something is accountable for actions or potential outcomes. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

22%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis reveals that "liable" is a frequently used adjective primarily indicating legal, moral, or potential responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It appears most commonly in news and media, formal business, and scientific contexts, highlighting its role in legal discussions, risk assessments, and attributing accountability. When writing, it's crucial to distinguish "liable" from "likely" and to clearly specify the nature of the liability to avoid ambiguity. Alternative phrases like "responsible" or "accountable" can be used depending on the specific nuance intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

responsible

Focuses on the obligation to answer for an action or outcome, shifting the emphasis from potential to duty.

accountable

Highlights the obligation to justify actions and accept consequences, stressing transparency and answerability.

subject to

Emphasizes vulnerability to a condition or event, indicating a passive reception of external forces.

prone to

Suggests a natural inclination or tendency towards something, differing from "liable" in implying inherent predisposition.

susceptible to

Implies a lack of resistance or immunity, highlighting vulnerability in a more physiological sense.

open to

Indicates accessibility or exposure to something, differing from "liable" in not necessarily implying negative consequences.

in danger of

Focuses specifically on potential harm or risk, narrowing the scope from general potentiality.

at risk of

Similar to "in danger of", emphasizing the presence of hazards or threats.

bound to

Conveys a sense of inevitability or certainty, suggesting that something is predetermined to happen.

obligated

Highlights the legal or moral duty to perform an action, stressing the binding nature of responsibility.

FAQs

How can I use "liable" in a sentence?

"Liable" can indicate legal responsibility, as in, "The company is liable for damages." It can also mean subject to something, like "The old bridge is liable to collapse."

What's the difference between "liable" and "responsible"?

"Liable" often implies a potential for negative consequences or legal obligations, while "responsible" focuses on a general duty or accountability.

When is it appropriate to use "liable" instead of "likely"?

Use "liable" when you want to emphasize a risk of something undesirable happening due to a specific condition or action. "Likely" is better for general probabilities.

Can "liable" have a positive connotation?

While "liable" usually implies a negative or undesirable outcome, it is generally neutral. Its connotation depends largely on context. For example: "The new software is liable to improve efficiency" is neutral.