substantially responsible for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially responsible for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a significant level of accountability or causation in a particular situation or outcome. Example: "The investigation revealed that the company was substantially responsible for the environmental damage caused by the spill."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

The cable also faulted Britain, which has the top responsibility for counternarcotics assistance in Afghanistan, for being "substantially responsible" for the failure to eradicate more acreage.

The New York Times

"If we create genuinely conscious robots," Schwitzgebel writes, "we are substantially responsible for their welfare.

MIT Technology Review

"He was substantially responsible for creating the situation," one of the officials said in a telephone interview.

The New York Times - Sports

And 75percentt of respondents said that human behavior was substantially responsible for any warming that has occurred.

The New York Times

"We should be looking at ourselves, but I think we have to look at what is most substantially responsible for this kind of violence," Mr. Landgraf said.

The New York Times - Arts

The new rules allow the F.D.I.C. to reclaim compensation from senior executives if they were "substantially responsible" for the bank's failure.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

By emphasizing that corporations need only identify individuals who were substantially involved in or responsible for wrongdoing, the revised policy is congruent with the "some relevant facts" standard for cooperation credit in the Justice Manual.

Columbia University

During the 1950s and 1960s, the ACLU was responsible for substantially advancing the legal protections against police misconduct.

Wikipedia

Growing density was responsible for substantially increasing sequestered carbon in the European and North American regions, despite smaller changes in area.

Plosone

High universal vaccination coverage is responsible for substantially reducing or nearly eliminating many of the diseases that once killed thousands of children each year in the US.

Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics

This test shows that pumped inflow is the dominant factor responsible for the substantially increased chloride and sulfate concentrations in the interior marsh.

Ecological Modelling

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially responsible for", ensure the context clearly defines the extent of the responsibility being attributed. Be specific about the actions or decisions that led to the outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "substantially responsible for" when the level of responsibility is minimal or indirect. Use more accurate language to reflect the true degree of influence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially responsible for" functions as a predicate adjective phrase. It attributes a significant degree of accountability or causation to a subject. Ludwig shows its use across various contexts, indicating its versatility in expressing levels of responsibility.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "substantially responsible for" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a significant level of accountability or causation. As shown in Ludwig, this phrase is used across diverse contexts, from news reports to scientific studies, indicating its versatility and widespread acceptance. While alternatives like "largely accountable for" or "primarily liable for" exist, "substantially responsible for" provides a balanced and widely understood way to assign a considerable degree of influence without necessarily implying absolute blame. The examples provided by Ludwig offer a clear understanding of how to use this phrase effectively in various writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

largely accountable for

Emphasizes accountability more directly, implying a significant degree of responsibility.

primarily liable for

Focuses on legal or formal responsibility.

significantly to blame for

Highlights culpability, placing emphasis on fault.

considerably answerable for

Stresses the obligation to answer for something.

majorly causative of

Emphasizes the role of causation in producing an effect.

importantly influential in

Highlights the degree of impact on an event or outcome.

chiefly contributory to

Focuses on the contribution made towards a particular result.

materially accountable in

Emphasizes accountability in a tangible or significant way.

principally influential for

Similar to 'importantly influential', but with a slight emphasis on the role of a guiding principle.

remarkably significant to

Emphasizes the unusual or noteworthy significance of the effect.

FAQs

How can I use "substantially responsible for" in a sentence?

Use "substantially responsible for" to indicate that someone or something had a significant impact on a particular outcome. For instance, "The new policy was "substantially responsible for" the increase in sales."

What's a formal alternative to "substantially responsible for"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "largely accountable for" or "primarily liable for" to convey a similar meaning with a more formal tone.

Is it correct to say "partially responsible for" instead of "substantially responsible for"?

Yes, but they convey different levels of responsibility. "Partially responsible for" indicates a smaller degree of influence compared to ""substantially responsible for"", which suggests a significant level of impact.

What is the difference between "responsible for" and "substantially responsible for"?

"Responsible for" indicates a general level of accountability, while ""substantially responsible for"" emphasizes a considerable or major level of accountability.