noun

liability

leye-uh-BIH-lih-tee

noun

A legal or financial responsibility for a debt, loss, or obligation.

"The driver was found to have liability for the accident."

"The contract limits the company's liability in case of delay."

A person or thing that causes trouble or holds a group back.

"His hot temper made him a liability to the team."

How to Use Liability

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLegal or financial responsibility for something — or, informally, someone who causes more problems than they solve.

Common pairings

legal liability limit liability a liability to the team

liabilities plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

The driver was found to have _____ for the accident.

From "liable" + -ity, ultimately from Latin ligare ("to bind"), the same root that gives us "ligament" and "oblige."

city pity deity unity entity equity nudity oddity enmity uppity vanity cavity