mutual responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

"mutual responsibility" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it any time you would like to express the idea of everyone involved in a situation being responsible for their actions. For example, "The parents and students both had a mutual responsibility to maintain a positive learning environment in the classroom."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The shame and mutual responsibility for blue balls.

The New Yorker

"The relationship between the people who elect the authorities and the authorities presumes mutual responsibility".

The New York Times

The middle class was trumpeted, as always, along with citizenship and mutual responsibility.

The New York Times

Rightly or not, Shalit has become a symbol of mutual responsibility.

The New York Times

The German word "Genosse," meaning "comrade" or "associate," also implies a mutual responsibility.

The New York Times

And their resistance to vaccination represents a failure to appreciate our profound connectedness and mutual responsibility.

The New Yorker

What is needed is the necessary political will and understanding of our mutual responsibility.

The New York Times

"The politics of fear and selfishness," he said, "has replaced the politics of mutual responsibility".

The New York Times

"A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

The Guardian

"The politics of fear and selfishness," he answered, "has replaced the politics of mutual responsibility".

The New York Times

It is the philosophy of pure laissez-faire capitalism that rejects community and mutual responsibility.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

This phrase is particularly effective in mission statements, social contracts and interpersonal agreements where trust is paramount.

Common error

Avoid using "mutual responsibility" when referring to a large group where individuals do not have a direct relationship with one another; in those cases, "collective responsibility" is usually more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mutual responsibility" acts as a compound noun or noun phrase. In sentences found on Ludwig, it typically serves as the subject or the object of a preposition (e.g., "a sense of "mutual responsibility""). It functions to define a specific type of social or professional bond where duties are shared equally.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "mutual responsibility" is a robust and widely accepted phrase in English that effectively communicates the idea of shared duty between parties. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, where it is used to describe everything from international diplomacy to marital health. Unlike simpler terms, it carries a weight of reciprocity and ethics, making it ideal for professional and serious contexts. Whether you are drafting a business agreement or discussing social values, this phrase remains a precise choice for describing a symmetrical partnership of duty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shared responsibility

A more general term often used in corporate and everyday contexts.

mutual accountability

Focuses more on the reporting and verification aspect of being responsible.

reciprocal responsibility

Emphasizes the back-and-forth or 'tit-for-tat' nature of the duties.

joint responsibility

Often used in legal or formal agreements to indicate equal liability.

collective responsibility

Refers to a whole group being responsible as one unit.

mutual obligation

Shifts the focus from accountability to a binding duty or promise.

common responsibility

Suggests a duty shared by all members of a community or humanity.

collaborative responsibility

Highlights that the responsibility arises from working together on a project.

co-responsibility

A concise, slightly more technical term for sharing a burden.

interpersonal responsibility

Focuses specifically on the duties between individuals rather than organizations.

FAQs

How do I use "mutual responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a two-way agreement, such as: "The success of the project relies on the "mutual responsibility" of the designers and the engineers".

What is the difference between "mutual responsibility" and "shared responsibility"?

While similar, "shared responsibility" is broader, whereas "mutual responsibility" strongly implies a reciprocal relationship between specific parties.

Is it better to say "mutual responsibility" or "mutual accountability"?

Use "mutual accountability" if you are discussing the need to answer for results or check each other's work.

Can I use "mutual responsibility" in a legal contract?

Yes, but lawyers often prefer more specific terms like "joint liability" or "mutual obligations" to define legal duties clearly.