shoulder the liabilities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shoulder the liabilities" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the responsibility for debts or obligations, often in a business or legal context. Example: "As the new partner in the firm, I will have to shoulder the liabilities that come with the existing contracts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

And there is no guarantee that such a fund would produce an adequate return.A cosier and more German solution is to get the federal and North Rhine-Westphalia governments to shoulder the liabilities.

The Economist

Mr. Gemba spoke not long after the country's largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, cited unidentified people as saying the government was considering a plan to temporarily acquire a majority stake in the company, help it shoulder the liabilities that are likely to be incurred, and then eventually take it private again.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"The enterprises offered to shoulder the compensation liability," the association said, according to Xinhua, China's official news agency.

The New York Times

"Oprah" producers and Volkswagen took care to shoulder the tax liability for the new cars, having learned from an earlier "Favorite Things" giveaway, where recipients of a new Pontiac G6 sedan were hit with tax bills of roughly $7,000 apiece.

The New York Times

Sherwin-Williams will shoulder the legal liability.

Forbes

Presumably the British authorities would only be willing to shoulder those liabilities if RBS and Lloyds moved their headquarters to London in advance.Mr Salmond also threatens that Scotland will not take on a population share of the national debt if London refuses to let it use the pound and the Bank of England.

The Economist

Yet it should be said that the great credit-card fear has not, so far, proved well-founded: there have been very few instances of theft of credit-card numbers, and, even if there were any, the credit-card firms would shoulder most of the liability.

The Economist

If it turns out that the automakers and their suppliers end up shouldering most of the liability, they might offer insurance themselves, said Donald Light, director of the North American property/casualty practice at the research firm Celent.

Los Angeles Times

By JPMorgan's account, the F.D.I.C. agreed that it would shoulder some liabilities from Washington Mutual.

The New York Times

The liabilities are similarly divided into current liabilities and noncurrent liabilities.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Nor are the liabilities easily untangled.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "shoulder the liabilities", ensure the context clearly identifies who is taking on the responsibility and what specific liabilities are being addressed. This is particularly important in legal or business writing.

Common error

Avoid using "shoulder the liabilities" when the responsibility is unclear or shared among multiple parties. Be specific about who is accountable to prevent ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shoulder the liabilities" functions as a verb phrase, where "shoulder" acts as a transitive verb taking "liabilities" as its direct object. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it denotes the act of assuming responsibility for debts or obligations.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shoulder the liabilities" is a phrase used to indicate the act of taking on responsibility for debts or obligations, particularly in business, legal, or political contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for professional communication. While examples are relatively rare, the phrase appears most frequently in news and media sources, with notable presence in business publications. Alternatives include "assume the liabilities", "bear the liabilities", and "take on the liabilities". When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding who is responsible and what liabilities are being addressed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assume the liabilities

Replaces "shoulder" with "assume", focusing on the act of taking on responsibility.

bear the liabilities

Substitutes "shoulder" with "bear", emphasizing the act of enduring or carrying the responsibilities.

take on the liabilities

Uses "take on" instead of "shoulder", highlighting the acceptance of responsibilities.

take responsibility for the liabilities

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the act of taking responsibility.

absorb the liabilities

Replaces "shoulder" with "absorb", suggesting the assimilation of the financial burdens.

be responsible for the liabilities

Uses a more direct phrasing to express the obligation to manage the liabilities.

cover the liabilities

Changes "shoulder" to "cover", focusing on the act of providing financial resources to meet the liabilities.

handle the liabilities

Replaces "shoulder" with "handle", focusing on the management and resolution of liabilities.

underwrite the liabilities

Replaces "shoulder" with "underwrite", implying a formal guarantee or financial backing for the liabilities.

meet the liabilities

Changes "shoulder" to "meet", emphasizing the act of satisfying or fulfilling the obligations.

FAQs

How can I use "shoulder the liabilities" in a sentence?

You can use "shoulder the liabilities" when you want to emphasize that someone is taking on the responsibility for debts or obligations. For example: "The company agreed to "shoulder the liabilities" associated with the merger."

What is a good alternative to "shoulder the liabilities"?

Alternatives to "shoulder the liabilities" include "assume the liabilities", "bear the liabilities", or "take on the liabilities", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "shoulder the responsibilities" instead of "shoulder the liabilities"?

While "shoulder the responsibilities" is grammatically correct and understandable, "shoulder the liabilities" is more specific and typically refers to financial or legal obligations. "Responsibilities" is a broader term.

What does it mean to "shoulder" something in a financial context?

In a financial context, to "shoulder" something means to accept or bear the burden of it, such as debt, financial risk, or legal obligations. It implies taking on a significant responsibility.