liable Definition
- 1responsible by law; legally answerable
- 2likely to do or say something
Using liable: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "liable" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The company is liable for any damage caused by its products.
Example
You are liable for your own actions.
Example
He is liable to get angry if you criticize him.
Example
She is liable to forget things if she doesn't write them down.
liable Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for liable
Idioms Using liable
Example
The court held the company liable for the accident.
Example
He is liable to lose his temper if you keep provoking him.
Example
The contract makes the buyer liable for any damages caused during transportation.
Phrases with liable
at risk of being charged with a crime
Example
Anyone who violates the law is liable to prosecution.
Example
If you lose the case, you will be liable to pay the damages.
Example
The machine is liable to error if it's not maintained properly.
Origins of liable
from Anglo-French 'liable', from Old French 'liare', meaning 'bind, tie up, fasten, tether', from Latin 'ligare', meaning 'to bind, tie'
Summary: liable in Brief
'Liable' [ˈlaɪəbl] means responsible by law or likely to do or say something. It can be used in phrases like 'liable to prosecution,' indicating the risk of being charged with a crime, and idioms like 'hold someone liable,' meaning to consider someone responsible for something. Examples include 'The company is liable for any damage caused by its products' and 'He is liable to get angry if you criticize him.'
