liable to respond

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "liable to respond" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the likelihood or obligation of someone or something to reply or react to a situation or inquiry. Example: "The customer service team is liable to respond within 24 hours to any inquiries submitted through the website."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

It does not have to be indicated on a product whether it contains these substances, but every end-user has the right to send an inquiry for an article of interest to the manufacturer or the distributor who is liable to respond within 45 days [35, 36].

Environmental Sciences Europe

"The problem is that the forces have yet to disengage, and when they're close up to each other they are liable to respond to anything they see as a provocation or an alert," Martin Griffiths told the BBC.

Vice

This was not unexpected, since females are more liable to respond to surveys (Hill et al. 1997).

Acta Orthopaedica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

And at least two grand juries have investigated whether bishops should be held criminally liable for failing to respond to abuse complaints about priests, though no charges were brought.

The New York Times

The court ruled that schools are liable for damages when they knowingly fail to respond to severe student-on-student sexual harassment.

The New York Times

To respond.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Try to respond promptly.

WikiHow

If the lender bungles any of the blizzard of questions typically sent in by one of these promoters, or doesn't respond within a limited time, the lender could be liable to the borrower for damages.

Forbes

A therapist advising the START team responded to this news: "In a perfect storm if all the bad elements line up, he's liable to attack [her] or choke her, with all that rage".

Huffington Post

"You're liable to kill somebody".

The New Yorker

That's liable to be controversial.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "liable to respond", ensure the context clearly indicates whether you mean a legal obligation, a high probability, or a natural tendency. Clarity is key.

Common error

Avoid using "liable to respond" when you simply mean someone is capable of responding. "Liable" implies a higher degree of probability or obligation than simple capability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "liable to respond" functions as a predicative adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a state of being obligated or likely to react. Ludwig AI indicates this is a valid and usable phrase in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "liable to respond" is a grammatically correct expression used to indicate an obligation or high probability of reaction or reply. While Ludwig AI confirms its validity, it's important to consider the specific context to ensure the intended meaning is clear, distinguishing between legal obligations and general likelihood. Though it appears across various categories, its use is relatively rare, suggesting that alternatives like "likely to answer" or "obliged to reply" might be more common depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

likely to answer

Focuses on the probability of receiving an answer.

obliged to reply

Emphasizes a formal obligation to respond.

certain to react

Highlights the certainty of a reaction.

bound to acknowledge

Suggests a strong duty to recognize and respond.

expected to address

Implies a reasonable expectation of a response.

inclined to reciprocate

Focuses on the tendency to respond in kind.

prone to acknowledge

Emphasizes a natural tendency to respond.

apt to react

Indicates a natural or habitual tendency to respond.

sure to reply

Highlights the sureness of a reply.

responsible for answering

Directly states the responsibility to provide an answer.

FAQs

What does "liable to respond" mean?

The phrase "liable to respond" means someone or something is likely or obligated to react or reply in a particular situation. It often implies a legal or moral obligation, or a high probability of response.

How can I use "liable to respond" in a sentence?

You can use "liable to respond" to indicate a duty or expectation. For example, "The company is liable to respond to customer complaints within 24 hours." Or you could say, "If provoked, he is "certain to react"".

What are some alternatives to "liable to respond"?

Alternatives include "likely to answer", "obliged to reply", "expected to address", or "responsible for answering" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to use "likely to respond" or "liable to respond"?

"Likely to respond" generally indicates a higher probability, whereas "liable to respond" often implies a legal or formal obligation. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize probability or duty. "Obliged to reply" is a great alternative as well.