push responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

"push responsibility" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to shifting responsibility to someone else or urging someone to take responsibility. For example, "The manager pushed responsibility onto the employees and expected them to complete the task on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

We will push responsibility for delivery away from the centre, abandoning the totally futile and wrong attempt to micro-manage from Downing Street.

The Guardian - Opinion

All it does is cover the backsides of Gary Bettman and the NHL – and push responsibility for the league's concussion problem on to the players.

The Guardian - Sport

"What worries me," he said, "is that transparency and control are empty words that are used to push responsibility to the user for problems that are being created by others".

The New York Times - Tech

Mr Cameron said he wanted to introduce new rules to improve the court's efficiency, its process for appointing judges and to "push responsibility to the national system".

BBC

He learned to push responsibility farther down into the organization, allowing good ideas and initiatives to come from the bottom up not from the top down.

Huffington Post

The more they know, the more they fear and they try to push responsibility to others".

Human Resources for Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The coalition is after a finer-grained localism, one that pushes responsibility down to smaller units.

The Economist

For that reason, we will shortly set out our proposals for pushing responsibility to the national system.

The Guardian

Wal-Mart has fought hard to preserve its entrepreneurial culture, which pushes responsibility out to the company's powerful store managers and endeavours to check central, bureaucratic growth.

The Economist

"By pushing responsibility down the chain of command, the chancellor makes the superintendent a far more powerful job than it has ever been before," Mr. Berne said.

The New York Times

The ad hoc efforts had the result of pushing responsibility down from senior aid officials usually based in Nairobi on to local Somalis.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "push responsibility", clearly define to whom the responsibility is being shifted and the scope of that responsibility to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "push responsibility" without specifying who is receiving the responsibility. For example, instead of saying "The company pushed responsibility", specify "The company pushed responsibility to the department heads".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "push responsibility" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where 'push' acts as a transitive verb taking 'responsibility' as its direct object. It signifies the act of transferring or shifting responsibility from one entity to another. This aligns with Ludwig's analysis, indicating it as a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "push responsibility" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, as validated by Ludwig, denoting the act of transferring or delegating accountability. While its frequency is uncommon, it finds relevance across contexts like news, science, and general discussions. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the recipient of responsibility to prevent ambiguity. Alternatives include "delegate responsibility" or "transfer accountability". Consider the context carefully to convey the intended nuance – empowerment or avoidance – appropriately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delegate responsibility

Focuses on the act of assigning responsibility to someone else, often in a structured or managerial context.

transfer accountability

Stresses the formal handover of accountability for a task or project.

shift the blame

Specifically implies avoiding responsibility for a negative outcome by attributing it to another party.

pass the buck

An informal idiom meaning to avoid responsibility by passing it on to someone else.

evade accountability

Highlights the act of avoiding being held responsible for one's actions or decisions.

offload duties

Reducing one's own workload or obligations by transferring them to others.

abdicate responsibility

Formally renounce or relinquish responsibility or duty.

outsource responsibility

Involves transferring responsibility to an external party or organization.

assign duties

This refers to allocating specific tasks or obligations to individuals or teams.

devolve power

Transferring authority and decision-making from a central entity to local or regional levels.

FAQs

What does "push responsibility" mean?

The phrase "push responsibility" means to delegate or transfer responsibility to someone else, often implying a desire to avoid taking direct accountability.

How can I use "push responsibility" in a sentence?

You can use "push responsibility" in a sentence like this: "The manager decided to "delegate responsibility" and "push responsibility" to the team members to foster ownership".

Is "push responsibility" a negative thing to do?

Whether "push responsibility" is negative depends on the context. It can be seen as a way to empower others or as a way to avoid accountability.

What are some alternatives to saying "push responsibility"?

Some alternatives to "push responsibility" include "delegate responsibility", "transfer accountability", or "assign duties", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.