ultimately accountable for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ultimately accountable for" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing responsibility or liability for a particular outcome or situation, often in a formal or professional context. Example: "The project manager is ultimately accountable for the success of the project and must ensure all team members meet their deadlines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Like any other CEO, she is ultimately accountable for these mistakes.

The Economist

Still, companies are ultimately accountable for the truth in their advertisements.

The New York Times

While the researcher Andrew Wakefield is rightly held ultimately accountable for much of this, media coverage certainly affected people's judgement.

The Guardian

"To his credit, James has always accepted that he is ultimately accountable for the performance of the team.

The Guardian - Sport

While that is a coaching cliché born of truth, it is also axiomatic that the general is ultimately accountable for his army's disturbing patterns of malfunction.

The New York Times - Sports

Requiring that the secretary of state remains ultimately accountable for the NHS is an important principle that was not previously enshrined in the bill.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

It means you're not ultimately accountable to anybody.

The New York Times

But there is a long way to go if a free and fair election is to take place.For a start, the country's electoral commission, ultimately accountable to the president, is in a mess.

The Economist

Mr. O'Keefe said that as head of the space agency, he was ultimately accountable.

The New York Times

Newspapers are ultimately accountable to their readers and must abide by the laws of the land.

The Guardian

I'm ultimately accountable.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ultimately accountable for" in formal contexts where a clear line of responsibility needs to be established.

Common error

Avoid using "ultimately accountable for" when responsibilities are shared or unclear. If multiple parties share responsibility, specify each party's individual accountabilities to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ultimately accountable for" functions as an adjectival phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, specifying who bears the final responsibility or liability for something. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ultimately accountable for" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to denote the final responsibility for something. As confirmed by Ludwig, its usage spans across various contexts, predominantly in news and media, science, and formal business settings. When using the phrase, be clear about the scope of responsibility. While alternatives such as ""fully responsible for"" or ""primarily responsible for"" exist, the choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. Avoid using it when responsibilities are overlapping. Overall, the phrase serves to assign clear responsibility and ensure accountability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fully responsible for

Replaces "ultimately accountable" with "fully responsible", emphasizing complete responsibility.

bears the ultimate responsibility for

Rephrases the sentence structure to emphasize the act of bearing responsibility.

holds the final responsibility for

Similar to "bears the ultimate responsibility", but uses "holds" instead.

solely liable for

Substitutes "ultimately accountable" with "solely liable", highlighting exclusive legal responsibility.

chiefly answerable for

Replaces "ultimately accountable" with "chiefly answerable", indicating primary responsibility.

primarily responsible for

Similar to "chiefly answerable", emphasizing the main responsibility.

the final authority on

Shifts the focus to authority rather than direct accountability.

is the last resort for

Indicates that responsibility falls on someone as a final measure.

takes ownership of

Implies a sense of personal responsibility and control.

is the guarantor of

Highlights the role of ensuring a specific outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "ultimately accountable for" in a sentence?

You can use "ultimately accountable for" to indicate who has the final responsibility for a specific outcome. For example, "The CEO is "ultimately accountable for" the company's performance".

What phrases are similar to "ultimately accountable for"?

Alternatives include "fully responsible for", "primarily responsible for", or "solely liable for". The best choice depends on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "ultimately responsible for" instead of "ultimately accountable for"?

Yes, "ultimately responsible for" is a valid and often interchangeable alternative to ""ultimately accountable for"". Both phrases convey the idea of final responsibility.

What's the difference between "accountable" and "responsible"?

While often used interchangeably, "responsible" typically implies a duty to perform a task, while "accountable" suggests bearing the consequences (positive or negative) of that task's performance. Someone can be responsible without being "ultimately accountable for" the outcome.