secondary responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "secondary responsibility" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a duty or obligation that is not the primary focus but still holds some importance. Example: "In addition to her primary role as project manager, she also has a secondary responsibility for overseeing the budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Secondary responsibility lays with the international sponsors, and poor performance of the transitional power.

The Washington Post

While primary responsibility for the massacre lies with the perpetrators behind it, a secondary responsibility lies with those who could have prevented it but failed to do so.

The Guardian - Opinion

This implies that SR involves two responsibilities: the primary responsibility being an obligation to society, and the secondary responsibility being a positive contribution to society.

Progress in Nuclear Energy

For instance, those in the day-off-a-week experiment tried assigning primary responsibility for each piece of work to one person but also allocating secondary responsibility to another one or two people.

Harvard Business Review

Secondary responsibility may be allocated to appropriately experienced people to enable flexibility to cover emergency situations when clinicians are unavailable.

BMJ Open

Section 3.1 explored how, for each step of the hospital coding process, primary and secondary responsibility was assigned to, or assumed by, a particular health care professional discipline.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

One of Regan's secondary responsibilities at his job was to help maintain his division's web page on Intelink.

The Guardian

To provide system resilience, secondary responsibilities may be allocated as required.

BMJ Open

Secondary responsibilities may also be allocated to appropriately experienced people at the end of a shift on an ad hoc basis to enable flexibility in the system to cover emergency situations.

BMJ Open

There is a whiff of secondary American responsibility for the killings as well.

The New York Times

This useful spacing was mentioned by a number of one-child respondents (married and unmarried) as a justification for making parental care responsibility secondary to the needs of their own family (or career) at the current stage of the respondents' lives.

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When assigning responsibilities, clearly define both primary and "secondary responsibilities" to ensure comprehensive coverage and avoid confusion.

Common error

Avoid vaguely defining "secondary responsibilities" as this can lead to duplicated efforts or tasks falling through the cracks. Always specify clear boundaries between primary and secondary roles.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "secondary responsibility" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a supporting or supplementary obligation. It describes a duty that is not the main focus but is still important for overall success or function, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "secondary responsibility" is a noun phrase used to denote a supporting or supplementary obligation, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While not as common as other phrases, it plays a vital role in defining roles and ensuring accountability, particularly in professional contexts such as science, news, and business. The phrase is grammatically correct and used consistently, according to Ludwig, making it a reliable choice for formal communication. Alternative phrases include "supporting role" and "subordinate duty". When using the phrase, ensure that the "secondary responsibility" is clearly defined to avoid overlapping duties. Ludwig's examples and analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of its usage and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

supporting role

Focuses on the idea of assistance or backing up the primary role.

subordinate duty

Emphasizes a lower rank or importance compared to a main duty.

ancillary obligation

Highlights the supplementary nature of the obligation.

additional task

Simple and direct, referring to an extra or supplementary task.

backup accountability

Indicates responsibility as a substitute or reserve.

contributory role

Highlights how a person contributes to an overall effort.

collateral duty

Implies a duty that exists alongside a primary one.

shared responsibility

Focuses on the idea of responsibility being divided among multiple parties.

supporting responsibility

Highlights how a responsibility helps another responsibility.

helping responsibility

Highlights how a responsibility aids with another responsibility.

FAQs

How is "secondary responsibility" typically assigned?

A "secondary responsibility" is usually assigned to an individual or group that supports the person or team with the primary responsibility. It often involves assisting with tasks, providing backup, or ensuring coverage during absences.

What's the difference between primary and "secondary responsibility"?

The primary responsibility involves the main duties and accountabilities for a specific task or project. The "supporting role" or "secondary responsibility" involves assisting with those tasks, providing support, and ensuring the primary responsibilities are fulfilled efficiently.

When is it appropriate to delegate "secondary responsibility"?

It is appropriate to delegate "secondary responsibility" when the primary role requires additional support, when ensuring coverage for absences is needed, or when distributing workload to promote efficiency and team collaboration. It's also useful for training purposes, allowing individuals to develop skills in a "backup accountability" capacity.

What can I say instead of "secondary responsibility"?

You can use alternatives like "supporting role", "subordinate duty", or "additional task" depending on the context.